Use of a local illite-montmorillonite clay on the elimination of a pollutant Ibuprofene: Physicochemical study of a clayey soil in region Naima-Tiaret-Algeria

Using Illite-montmorillonite (IMN), a naturally occurring clay in the Naima-Tiaret-Algeria area, as a raw material, this effort intends to develop geopolymers (GPIMN). To do this, we will calcine the clay to 700 oC. and then activate it alkaline using high concentrations of NaOH and Na2CO3. The IMN and GPIMN clays were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IRTF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The study looked at how the efficiency of the Ibuprofen (IBP) adsorption process was affected by the starting concentration and how long the adsorption process took. About forty minutes was found to be the duration of the adsorption process. The models that were used were the Elovich, pseudo-first-order, and pseudo-second-order versions. The most accurate model for the current application is the pseudo-second-order model, with an R2 value better than 0.99. Thermodynamic study demonstrates that the adsorption is directly proportional to the starting concentration. Thermodynamic models using Langmuir, Freundlich, and D-R were used to determine the adsorption capacity of IBP with IMN-GPIMN. These simulations validated that the adsorption capacity of IMN-GPIMN was 48.54–66.66 mg/g. Given that it has a significant connection with the heterogeneous surface function (R2 value more than 0.93), the Freundlich model is thought to be the most appropriate for use. Both the raw and blended versions of the local clay had a significant ability to adsorb ibuprofen, which was more than that shown in previous studies.