ADSORPTION OF pb+ FROM AQUEUOUS SOLUTION USING CLAY OBTAINED FROM DANGARA IN F.C.T, ABUJA.

This study investigates the potential of Dangara middle layer clay, an abundant natural resource in Nigeria, as a low-cost and sustainable adsorbent for the removal of Pb²⁺ ions from aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of initial lead concentration (10– 50 mg/L), adsorbent dosage (0.2–1.0 g), agitation time (5–120 min), and pH (4–9) on removal efficiency. The Adsorption process was evaluated by different kinetic models such as pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The Adsorption mechanism was determined by the use of adsorption isotherm such as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Results obtained showed that adsorption efficiency decreased with increasing initial Pb²⁺ concentration due to active site saturation with values ranging from 99.80±0.01% − 96.34 ± 0.80%. Increasing adsorbent dosage enchaned removal, producing adsorption efficiency from 97.00 ± 0.35% − 98.57 ± 0.31% . Agitation time markedly improved adsorption efficiency, yielding removal values from 94.00 ± 0.03% − 99.00 ± 0.02%, while pH had the strongest effect, with adsorption efficiency increasing from 94.97 ± 0.91 % to 99.93 ± 0.06 %, with the maximum removal obtained at pH 9. Isotherm modelling revealed that the Freundlich model best described the equilibrium adsorption behaviour than the Langmuir model, indicating a heterogeneous multilayer adsorption, while Kinetic data fitted the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting chemisorption-controlled uptake. Overall, the findings reveal that Dangara middle layer clay demonstrates strong potential as an efficient, ecofriendly, and locally available material for the removal of lead ions from contaminated water, contributing valuable insight into sustainable water purification and environmental remediation strategies.