This study examined the influence of operating parameters on the electrosorptive recovery system of lithium ions from aqueous solutions using a spinel-type lithium manganese oxide adsorbent electrode and investigated the electrosorption kinetics and isotherms. The results revealed that the electrosorption data of lithium ions from the lithium containing aqueous solution were well-fitted to the Langmuir isotherm at electrical potentials lower than –0.4 V and to the Freundlich isotherm at electrical potentials higher than –0.4 V. This result may due to the formation of a thicker electrical double layer on the surface of the electrode at higher electrical potentials. The results showed that the electrosorption reached equilibrium within 200 min under an electrical potential of –1.0 V, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was correlated with the experimental data. Moreover, the adsorption of lithium ions was dependent on pH and temperature, and the results indicate that higher pH values and lower temperatures are more suitable for the electrosorptive adsorption of lithium ions from aqueous solutions. Thermodynamic results showed that the calculated activation energy of 22.61 kJ mol–1 during the electrosorption of lithium ions onto the adsorbent electrode was primarily controlled by a physical adsorption process. The recovery of adsorbed lithium ions from the adsorbent electrode reached the desorption equilibrium within 200 min under reverse electrical potential of 3.5 V.

Bagasse fly ash (BFA) is one of the important wastes generated in the sugar industry; it has been studied as a prospective low-cost adsorbent in the removal of congo red (CR) from aqueous solutions. Chemical treatment with H2O2 was applied in order to modify the adsorbability of the raw BFA. Batch studies were performed to evaluate the influence of various experimental parameters such as dye solution pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and temperature. Both the adsorbents were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrophotometer and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. Equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of CR were analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models using non-linear regression technique. Intraparticle diffusion seems to control the CR removal process. The obtained experimental data can be well described by Langmuir and also followed second order kinetic models. The calculated thermodynamic parameters indicate the feasibility of the adsorption process for the studied adsorbents. The results indicate that BFA can be efficiently used for the treatment of waste water containing dyes.