A comprehensive evaluation of heavy metals removal from battery industry wastewaters by applying bio-residue, mineral and commercial adsorbent materials

We present a feasibility study of different adsorbent materials, namely residual fish scales biosorbent (FS), mineral dolomite (DL) and commercial resin (CR) in the heavy metals removal in multicomponent solution based on the properties of a real effluent from automotive battery recycling industry. Considering the effluent complex characteristics, the materials were assessed aiming to provide not only the heavy metals removal, but also the effluent neutralization and lower sludge generation. For this, all the studied materials were physicochemically and morphologically characterized with the aim of understanding the mechanisms involved in the process. Further, the elemental compositions of the solid and liquid phases generated from each treatment process were assessed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The effluent presented highly acidic characteristics and heavy metals above the legislated limits for discharge (Fe, Zn and Pb). Each adsorbent material followed different mechanisms which led to dissimilar removal and neutralization capacities. The CR showed remarkable heavy metals removal capacity governed by an ion exchange mechanism; conversely, it did not show a neutralization effect. In contrast, FS and DL presented lower removal capacities by complex simultaneous phenomena (ion exchange, precipitation and/or complexation), but a great neutralization potential related to leaching of alkaline constituents. When sludge generation is considered as a key factor, mitigation and enhancement of treated effluent quality could alternatively be addressed by employing the materials in hybrid processes. Hence, the associated use of such materials could be viable yet very challenging for both neutralization and removal of heavy metals from the battery effluent.