Abstract
The phosphonate compound aminotrimethylene phosphonic acid (ATMP) was impregnated onto Amberlite (R) XAD4 resin and studied for adsorption of ferric ions from phosphoric acid solution by the batch equilibration and column techniques. The adsorption process was studied as a function of influencing parameters such as ATMP concentration, solution pH, initial iron concentration, H3PO4 concentration and anion concentration in solution. The removal of Fe(III) by ATMP-impregnated resin was found to decrease as the concentration of ATMP increased on the resin. The presence of anionic species (chloride, nitrate and sulphate at certain concentrations) was found to increase the removal of iron from phosphoric acid solution. The column breakthrough capacity for Fe(III) onto ATMP-impregnated resin was found to be 1.79 meq/g.