(663g) Removal of Chromium (VI) and Divalent Cations from Flowback Water By Graphene Oxide-Modified Natural Zeolite

Hydraulic fracturing in shale gas plays across the United States uses fluids and chemicals with high concentrations of scaling forming ions such as strontium and barium, and heavy metals such as hexavalent Chromium. Removal of these chemical from flowback water may increase the potential for recycling and reuse of flowback water. The Hexavalent Chromium may be a pollutant of concern associated with gas and oil-related wastewaters. Divalent strontium and barium may combine with sulfate and carbonate and build scaling precipitates.

Natural zeolites have demonstrated to be good ion-exchange and adsorbent materials. They can exchange and retain cations inside of their porous surface. Increasing the surface area of the natural material becomes a challenge to improve the adsorption removal efficiency of the natural zeolite. In this paper results on the adsorption of hexavalent chromium and divalent Strontium and Barium from flowback water using graphene oxide-modified zeolite are presented.