Distinctive Features of River Sand, Beach Sand and Granite as Adsorbents in Water and Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

The essence of adsorbents in water or wastewater treatment cannot be estimated. This research paper seeks to investigate the characterisation of river sand, beach sand and granite as adsorbents for water or wastewater treatment. River sand, beach sand and granite (collected in some localities in Nigeria) were sieved, washed and later sun-dried. These three materials were taken to the laboratory for X-ray Fluorescence Analysis (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses. The XRF analysis revealed that the oxides present in the selected materials include Silica (SiO 2 ), Alumina (AI 2 O 3 ), Ferric Oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), Titanium Oxide (TiO 2 ), Calcium Oxide (CaO), some other oxides and trace elements like Barium, Copper, Chromium, Nickel, and so on. The SEM analysis shows that the materials possess interconnected pores, while the EDX analysis of the adsorbent materials revealed that the materials contain Silicon, Oxygen, Aluminium, Carbon and other elements. These distinctive features in the selected materials make them excellent materials for water or wastewater treatment.