ADSORPTION OF HEAVY METALS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION ONTO ACTIVATED CARBON DERIVED FROM Balanites aegyptiaca SEEDS

Abstract

A series of batch experiments were conducted in order to investigate the feasibility of Balanites aegyptiaca seeds based activated carbon as compared with industrial activated carbon for the removal of chromium, lead, copper, cobalt, nickel, cadmium and manganese from aqueous solution by the adsorption process within 30 to 150 min contact time. The Activated samples were prepared using Zinc chloride and tetraoxophosphate V acid. Investigation was carried out by studying the influence of initial solution pH, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration of the various metal ions. The results obtained showed that the activated carbon of Balanites aegyptiaca seeds studied had relatively high adsorption capacities for these heavy metal ions. The percentage removal was Cr (VI), (64%, 70% and 71%), Cu (II), (75%,78% and 80%), Pb (II), (86%,69% and 69.61%), Cd (II), (69%, 72% and 69%), Ni (II), (72%, 78% and 77%), Co (II), (66%, 68% and 69%) and Mn (III), (80%, 79% and 77.8%) respectively. Adsorption equilibrium was established in 90 minutes for the heavy metal ions. The equilibrium data fitted pseudo- second order out of pseudo first order, pseudo second order, Natarajan and Khalaf and Elovich model tested. The investigation also showed that the adsorbents can effectively remove metal ions from similar wastewater and aqueous media.