COMPOSITE BASED ON RAW MATERIALS OF NATURAL ORIGIN FOR THE ADSORPTION OF HEAVY METALS AND PROCESS FOR OBTAINING IT

The present invention relates to a composite material and a process for its production, intended for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous media, especially at low concentrations and under real conditions of use. The proposed material consists of an active layer obtained by combining materials of natural origin – hydroxyapatite, vermiculite and perlite – each bringing specific functional contributions to the overall performance of the adsorption system. Through the synergy of these natural components, a superior efficiency of heavy metal removal is provided under real contamination conditions (variable pH, presence of other competing ions, ambient temperature, etc.). The process is suitable for industrial and/or municipal applications. Acknowledgment: The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization (Ministry of Education and Research, National Authority for Research) through the PN 23.06 Core Program – ChemNewDeal, project no. PN 23.06.01.01 AquaMat within PN IV.