The increasing demand for clean water and the environmental concerns associated with conventional coagulants have necessitated the search for sustainable, cost-effective alternatives. This study comprehensively investigates the acid activation of bentonite clays from the Shargun deposit (Uzbekistan) and evaluates their application as coagulants and adsorbents in water treatment. The research combines kinetic analysis of acid decomposition, detailed characterization of structural modifications, and performance evaluation in coagulation and adsorption processes.

Natural bentonite samples were treated with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) under varying conditions of temperature (30–95°C), acid concentration (5–30%), and treatment duration (15–180 min). The physicochemical transformations were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG), and chemical analysis methods. Kinetic studies focused on the extraction rates of Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃, with apparent activation energies calculated using Arrhenius equations.