Comparison of the Efficiency of Low-Cost Adsorbents for Heavy Metals Removal from the Monitored Polluted River of Nitra

Pollution of surface water by heavy metals is a major environmental problem worldwide. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of natural adsorbents (bentonites from the Kopernica deposit) with commercial types (zeolites of different quality) in removing selected heavy metals from the polluted surface stream in the monitored area. The adsorption process of the monitored metals was evaluated in terms of adsorption capacity and percentage of metal ion removal efficiency. The surface flow in the monitored area is significantly polluted and does not achieve the necessary water quality. The results of the research point to the high adsorption capacity of bentonites for Hg, while zeolites showed this ability less and were suitable only for some of the monitored heavy metals. The adsorption of zeolite of the type ZeoCem Eco Micro 200 (type C) is suitable for metals in the direction from the most adsorbed heavy metal to the least adsorbed as follows: Sb > Hg > Cr > Cd > Cu > Zn. As showed no affinity for adsorption onto zeolite C. The research confirmed the suitability of low-cost adsorbents for the remediation of polluted water in the monitored area.