Abstract
The removal of sulphates from acid rock drainage (ARD) using basic oxygen
furnace (BOF) slag was investigated. The results indicated that sulphates removal using BOFslag
increased with temperature increase (25-45oC), time (0-24 h) and solid loading (2-12 g
BOF-slag/50 ml ARD). The maximum sulphate removal was 65% when 12 g BOF-slag/100 ml
ARD was used at 45oC and 24 h residence time. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm
with maximum adsorption capacities at 25, 35 and 45oC of 1.949, 1.967, 4.078 mg/g
respectively and RL values less than 0.3, indicating adsorption was thermodynamically
favourable. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo second order kinetics.