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This study examined the application of modified clay mineral waste material (MCMWM) for removal of phosphorus (P) from aquatic systems including surface water and wastewater related to the application of recycled solid waste materials. The effects of ionic strength and pH on P adsorption by MCMWM were investigated at pH values of 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 with P concentrations of 10, 20, 40, 100 and 200 mg/L in solution. The P adsorption was rapidly at the early stage with 95% of P in solution being adsorbed for 10 mg/L P in solution at a high pH range within 0.5 hr. The amount of P adsorbed increased with increasing ionic strength. The amount of P adsorbed increased continuously as pH values increased from 3 to 9 for P adsorption at 10 mg/L. Other series of P concentrations in solution showed variable trends due to the rates of P adsorption being affected by pH associated with the effect of ionic strength. The maximum amounts of P adsorbed and the highest percentages of P adsorbed were obtained at pH 9 for all levels of P concentrations, and at pH 7 for the lower P concentrations in solution. Calcium (Ca) ion was found to form a bridge for P adsorption in solution as the increases in the amount of P adsorbed at high pH values was related to the performance of Ca in favoring P to be adsorbed either onto the surfaces or incorporated into the structural bonds of MCMWM. Ionic strength, pH and modification process have been found to be the important factors that influenced P adsorption in solution.

This article studies the enhancement of methyl orange (MO) adsorption by Mongolian montmorillonite (MMt) modified by the intercalation of the Keggin Al13 complex, followed by calcination during the pillaring process. The properties of MMt, Al-intercalated MMt (P-MMt), and Al-pillared MMt (P-MMt-C) were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), surface-area analysis, and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The MO adsorption by modified MMt was subsequently evaluated. The XRD basal distance (d001) and the specific surface area (SSA) increased after the modification of MMt. The TGA results revealed that P-MMt and P-MMt-C had better thermal stability than MMt. The Al-pillared MMt obtained after calcination (e.g., P-MMt-C400) showed a larger basal distance and surface area than that without pillaring. The MO adsorption process of P-MMt-C400 was supposed to be dominated by chemisorption and heterogeneous multilayer adsorption, according to the kinetic and isotherm studies. The maximum adsorption capacity of P-MMt-C400 is 6.23 mg/g. The MO adsorption ability of Al-pillared MMt was contributed by the Keggin Al13 complex attracting MO and the increase in the surface area of macro-, meso- and micro-pores (>1.2 nm). The Al-pillared MMt in this study could be applied as an adsorbent in a water purification system to remove MO or other dye elements.