Preparation of Calcium Silicate Hydrate Extrudates and Their Phosphate Adsorption Studies

Cylindrical shape extrudates of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) were prepared using different percentages of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) / sodium alginate (SA) mixtures as binders and an aqueous solution containing 6% $H_3BO_3$ and 3% $CaCl_2$ was used as a cross linking agent. As the quantity of alginate increases, the phosphate removal efficiency and capacity were decreased. Among four different extrudate samples, the sample prepared by 8% PVA + 2% SA showed the highest phosphate removal efficiency (59.59%) and capacity (29.97 mg/g) at an initial phosphate concentration of 100 ppm and 2.0 g/L adsorbent dosage. Effects of the adsorbent dosage, contact time and initial phosphate concentration on the sample were further studied. The removal efficiency and capacity obtained by a 4.0 g/L adsorbent dose at an initial phosphate concentration of 100 ppm in 3 h were 79.38% and 19.96 mg/g, respectively. The experimental data of kinetic and isotherm measurements followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. These results suggested that the phosphate removal was processed via a chemisorption and a monolayer coverage of phosphate anions was on the CSH surface. The maximum adsorption capacity ($q_{max}$) was calculated as 23.87 mg/g from Langmuir isotherm model.