Layered Double Hydroxides for Arsenic Removal from Aqueous Solutions
Summary
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a class of two-dimensional anionic clays composed of positively charged brucite-type layers of mixed divalent and trivalent metal cations, balanced by exchangeable interlayer anions. Their tunable composition, high surface area and chemical stability render them highly effective for arsenic sequestration from water via mechanisms such as anion exchange, surface complexation and, in calcined forms, the “memory effect” that regenerates adsorption sites upon rehydration. Variants based on Mg–Al, Fe–Al, Ni–Fe and other metal pairs have been synthesised, while hybrids incorporating carbon nanostructures, polymers or geosynthetic fibres have further enhanced capacity, selectivity and mechanical resilience. Performance is governed by solution pH, competing ions and regeneration protocols. Applications range from permeable reactive barriers and membrane filters to bulk adsorbents in industrial and rural water treatment, offering scalable, cost-effective solutions to global arsenic contamination challenges.
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Layered Double Hydroxides for Arsenic Removal from Aqueous Solutions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in layered double hydroxides for arsenic removal from aqueous solutions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs): Two-dimensional anionic clays with brucite-type metal hydroxide layers and exchangeable interlayer anions.
Calcination: Thermal dehydration of LDHs to mixed oxides, enabling rehydration-driven reconstruction of the original layered structure (memory effect).
Anion Exchange: Mechanism by which interlayer anions in LDHs are replaced by target oxyanions such as arsenate or arsenite.
Adsorption Isotherm: Equilibrium relationship between solute concentration and uptake by an adsorbent, often described by the Langmuir monolayer model.
Pseudo-Second-Order Kinetics: A kinetic model indicating that chemisorption governs the rate of adsorption.
References
- Attenuation performance of geosynthetic sorption sheets against arsenic subjected to compressive stresses. Geotextiles and Geomembranes (2023).
- Efficient As(V) removal by NiFe-LDHs and NiFe2O4 in situ growth on 3D porous carbon foam fabricated from waste melamine–formaldehyde foam. Desalination and Water Treatment (2024).
- Hazardous arsenite removal from water by calcined Fe-hydrotalcite. Desalination and Water Treatment (2024).
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