Uptakes of Cu (II) Ion on Chrysotile Asbestos in Aqueous Solution

Abstract

When chrysotile asbestos were immersed CuCl₂ solution, their uptakes of Cu (II) ions were fairly larger than thoes of other adsorbents, and their values amounted to about 1 mmol Cu/g. A mechanism of the separation of Cu (II) ions by the chrysotiles were investigated by chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction method for the specimens before and after immersion. When the chrysotile asbestos were immersed in the CuCl₂ solution, a part of the ions of the chrysotiles dissolve into the solution. Dissolution of Mg ions into the solution causes the Cu (II) ions to precipitate as Cu₂ (OH) ₃Cl of atacamite or paratacamite and botallackite type on the surface of the asbestos.