Enhancing the performance of membrane distillation and ion-exchange manganese oxide for recovery of water and lithium from seawater

Roobavannan, S; Vigneswaran, S; Naidu, G

Enhancing the performance of membrane distillation and ion-exchange manganese oxide for recovery of water and lithium from seawater

Roobavannan, S Vigneswaran, S

Naidu, G

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Chemical Engineering Journal, 2020, 396
Issue Date:: 2020-09-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Roobavannan, S
dc.contributor.author	Vigneswaran, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8117-4322
dc.contributor.author	Naidu, G
dc.date.accessioned	2020-12-29T01:56:51Z
dc.date.available	2020-12-29T01:56:51Z
dc.date.issued	2020-09-15
dc.identifier.citation	Chemical Engineering Journal, 2020, 396
dc.identifier.issn	1385-8947
dc.identifier.issn	1873-3212
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144985
dc.description.abstract	© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Recovering lithium (Li) from natural sources such as seawater is a sustainable alternative to meet its high demands. Li recovery from seawater must be enhanced to attain economic efficiency. In this work, the potential of enhancing Li recovery from seawater by acid treated manganese oxide ion sieve (HMO) is evaluated by increasing Li concentration in seawater using direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and reducing competitive ions. DCMD achieved enhanced water recovery upon pre-treatment with oxalic acid (88–91%) compared to caustic soda ash (65–68%) and without pre-treatment (47–51%). Caustic soda ash required Na addition in alkaline condition for Ca removal, while, oxalic acid removed Ca in acidic condition without any inorganic ion addition. The low ion concentration in acidic condition upon oxalic acid pre-treatment enabled DCMD to concentrate seawater to high levels, increasing Li concentration by 7 times. In Li solution, HMO achieved a maximum adsorptive capacity (Langmuir Qmax) of 17.8 mg/g in alkaline condition. Multiple cycles of desorption and regeneration of HMO showed only 7–11% decline of Li uptake and minimal Mn dissolution, which, established HMO's reuse capacity. Selective Li mechanism is attributed to H/Li exchange as well as high negative surface charge of HMO. In seawater, Li uptake by HMO reduced by 44–46% due to Mg. Seawater with minimal Mg was favourable for enhancing Li uptake by HMO. Seawater treatment in stages – divalent pretreament and concentrating seawater, followed by HMO, provided a favourable scenario for attaining high quality water, selective Li recovery, and other resources – Ca and Mg.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE200100661
dc.relation.ispartof	Chemical Engineering Journal
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.cej.2020.125386
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	0904 Chemical Engineering, 0905 Civil Engineering, 0907 Environmental Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Engineering
dc.title	Enhancing the performance of membrane distillation and ion-exchange manganese oxide for recovery of water and lithium from seawater
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	396
utslib.for	0904 Chemical Engineering
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2022-09-15T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2020-12-29T01:56:29Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	396

Abstract:

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Recovering lithium (Li) from natural sources such as seawater is a sustainable alternative to meet its high demands. Li recovery from seawater must be enhanced to attain economic efficiency. In this work, the potential of enhancing Li recovery from seawater by acid treated manganese oxide ion sieve (HMO) is evaluated by increasing Li concentration in seawater using direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and reducing competitive ions. DCMD achieved enhanced water recovery upon pre-treatment with oxalic acid (88–91%) compared to caustic soda ash (65–68%) and without pre-treatment (47–51%). Caustic soda ash required Na addition in alkaline condition for Ca removal, while, oxalic acid removed Ca in acidic condition without any inorganic ion addition. The low ion concentration in acidic condition upon oxalic acid pre-treatment enabled DCMD to concentrate seawater to high levels, increasing Li concentration by 7 times. In Li solution, HMO achieved a maximum adsorptive capacity (Langmuir Qmax) of 17.8 mg/g in alkaline condition. Multiple cycles of desorption and regeneration of HMO showed only 7–11% decline of Li uptake and minimal Mn dissolution, which, established HMO's reuse capacity. Selective Li mechanism is attributed to H/Li exchange as well as high negative surface charge of HMO. In seawater, Li uptake by HMO reduced by 44–46% due to Mg. Seawater with minimal Mg was favourable for enhancing Li uptake by HMO. Seawater treatment in stages – divalent pretreament and concentrating seawater, followed by HMO, provided a favourable scenario for attaining high quality water, selective Li recovery, and other resources – Ca and Mg.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144985