Metal Sorption Using Manganese Oxides from Alkaline Battery Manufacturing and Postconsumer Wastes

Manganese oxide adsorbent materials were prepared from alkaline battery manufacturing and postconsumer waste. Specifically, electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) was obtained from a battery manufacturing facility, and cryptomelane, a 2x2 tunnel octahedral molecular sieve structure, was synthesized from postconsumer waste alkaline batteries. For comparison, cryptomelane was synthesized using purchased chemicals. The manganese oxide materials were characterized and investigated as adsorbents for heavy metals in water. Adsorption isotherms and column studies were conducted at room temperature for each manganese oxide material. The heavy metals selected for this study included lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), and cerium (Ce). The unique feature of this study was that the manganese oxide materials investigated were derived from preconsumer and postconsumer alkaline batteries. The study highlighted the impacts of the chemical and physical properties of the manganese oxide materials for adsorption capacity for the selected heavy metals. The results of this study support that adsorbents capable of removing heavy metals from water can be prepared from postconsumer alkaline batteries.