Adsorption of chromium(VI) on low cost adsorbents derived from agricultural waste material: A comparative study

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 145; no. 3; pp. 465 - 470
• Main Authors: Dubey, Shashi Prabha, Gopal, Krishna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 16.07.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adsorption; Agriculture, rearing and food industries wastes; Applied sciences; Arachis; Arachis hypogaea; Biodegradation, Environmental; Carbon - chemistry; Chemical engineering; Chromium - analysis; Chromium - isolation & purification; Drinking water and swimming-pool water. Desalination; Exact sciences and technology; Freundlich isotherm; Groundnut husk carbon; Hexavalent chromium; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial Waste; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Pollution; Silver; Silver - chemistry; Wastes; Water treatment and pollution; Hexavalent chromium; Silver; Adsorption; Groundnut husk carbon; Freundlich isotherm; Drinking water; Agitation; Adsorption isotherm; Adsorption capacity; Oxidant; Batchwise; pH; Agricultural waste; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.11.041

Two low cost adsorbents were prepared by using groundnut husk and were tested for the removal of chromium. All the experiments were carried out in batch process with chromium spiked samples of drinking water. Silver impregnated groundnut husk carbon and groundnut husk carbon were tested for the removal of chromium(VI). Effects of adsorbent quantity, pH, contact time and agitation rate were investigated on removal of chromium. The adsorption data were fitted well by Freundlich adsorption isotherm. Approximately, 97% of hexavalent chromium was removed at pH 3 within 5 h. It was found that adsorbents chemically modified with an oxidizing agent demonstrated better chromium removal capabilities as compared to pure adsorbents in terms of their adsorption rate. On the basis of present studies, it can be concluded that groundnut husk carbon oxidized with silver treatment, has a higher chromium adsorption capacities.