STUDIES ON REMOVAL
OF CADMIUM, CHROMIUM AND LEAD IN
WASTEWATER
SYNOPSIS
Submitted by
SENTHILNATHAN U
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
AUGUST 2013
1
Introduction
disadvantages like incomplete metal removal , high reagent and energy requirements,
generation of toxic sludge or other waste products that require disposal and they are
inefficient when contaminants are present in trace concentration(4).
retain heavy metals and this source of adsorbent has a great potential to achieve this
objective. Compared wt conventional methods for removing toxic metals from
effluents, the sorption process has the advantages of low operating cost, minimization
of volume of chemicals and biological sludge to be disposed off and high efficiency
in detoxifying very dilute effluents .To obtain cost - efficient processes, low cast
sorbents based on agricultural wastes or cheap biomasses are used as a promising
alternative .
The main objective of this thesis is in the finding of a new adsorbent for
treating wastewaters. There is no literature report on the study of the adsorption
behaviour of metals by Derris indica, Acacia nilotica and Hybrid eucalyptus.
Motivated by economic and environmental considerations, this study aims at the
removal of cadmium, chromium and lead from aqueous solution from the wood of
Derrris indica, Acacia nilotica and Hybrid eucalyptus.
Effect of pH
Adsorption Isotherm
possible to predict the equilibrium isotherm. The isotherm thus yield certain constants
whose values express the surface properties and affinity of the sorbent. Adsorbent data
obtained from the present study are fitted into Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.
Langmuir isotherm parameters are KL, qm and RL were determined . The values of
dimensionless separation factor RL calculated for different metals were in the range
of 0< RL< 1, which indicates that the adsorption of metals onto Derris indica , Acacia
nilotica and hybrid Eucalyptus is favourable. Freundlich isotherm parameters KF and
1/n were also calculated. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms (9,10) are found to
be applicable in the present metals adsorption, which may be attributed to the
formation of monolayer on the surface of the adsorbent.
In column studies the volume of wastewater that can be treated using 2.1
cm diameter column having a bed depth of 5 cm and 2.5 cm diameter column having
a bed depth of 7 cm using wood of Derris indica , Acacia nilotica and hybrid
Eucalyptus based carbon were tried with a flow rate of 2 mL/ min .
Desorption studies
nilotica and hybrid Eucalyptus was successfully used for the removal of various toxic
metal ions. Batch mode studies were conducted using the above adsorbent for the
metal ions: Cd(II), Cr(III) and Pb(II). Effect of pH was studied The amount of metals
retained on unit weight of adsorbent (q, mg/g) increased with increasing of initial
metal ion concentration from aqueous solution. At the same time , the percentage of
metal removal sharply decreased with the increasing of initial concentration. The
results show that the adsorption of metals increased rapidly with increase in amount
of adsorbent and reached equilibrium after a point. Langmuir isotherm parameters are
KL , qm and RL were evaluated. . Freundlich isotherm parameters KF and 1/n were
found.
8
Reference
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