Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles for Acidic Mine Waters Remediation

Mining activities have a high negative impact on the environment and on human health. Environmental impacts can result in contamination of surface water, groundwater, soil and air. Large volumes of wastewater produced by mining activities have to be remediated before being discharged into the environment. Due to the complex composition of wastewater coming from the mining industry and because their negative impacts, numerous remediation techniques have been applied. Adsorption is one of the most extensively used ways to remediate mining wastewater as a consequence of its low cost, easiness to be performed, and also due to the wide variety of materials (natural and synthetic) that can be use as adsorbents. Hydroxyapatite (HAP, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), a naturally occurring form of calcium phosphate has a good capacity to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions due to its excellent properties. By preparing hydroxyapatite using different synthesis methods, its properties can be manipulated in order to increase the adsorption properties and reactivity. Herein, we reported synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAP) samples using different synthesis conditions to establish the effect of synthesis conditions onto HAP properties. The HAP samples prepared have been characterized by the use of X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, specific surface measurements, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The stoichiometric compounds with high degree of crystallinity, low average particle diameter values, and low specific surface have been prepared by the solid state reaction and high calcination temepratures. The addition of surfactant (dispersant) has resulted in an increase in the specific surface area, which will result in an increase in the retention capacity of heavy metal ions in wastewater. The adsorbents prepared were used to remediate mine water. Results showed that non-calcinated HAP samples have a higher heavy metals adsorption capacity compared to HAP samples calcinated at 600 �C and 900 �C. The HAP samples prepared in presence of surfactant exhibit a higher heavy metals adsorption capacity than samples prepared in absence of surfactant. The values of the retention capacity differ depending on the nature of the metal ion: QMn(II) ] QFe(III) ] QZn(II) ] QPb(II) ] QNi(II). A change in the pH of mine water from 2.6 to 5.5 has occur that means that the metal ion retention mechanism goes through chemical reactions. The metal ions retention capacity suggests application of hydroxyapatite for remediation of mining wastewater.