Abstract

REMOVAL OF Cr(VI) AND Ni(II) FROM ITS AQUEOUS SOLUTION BY USING ACTIVATED CARBON PREPARED FROM THE PLANT PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA.L

J. Sirajudeen*, M. Kadhar Mohidheen, J. Naveen and V. Manivel

ABSTRACT

Effluents composed of heavy metal reached to the water bodies cause serious health impacts to environment. To minimize the presence of heavy metal, it is essential to develop the suitable adsorbent for the treatment of wastewater. In this study activated carbon prepared from plant leaves phyllanthus emblica.L by using the pre-treatment of H2SO4 at high temperature and it is used as adsorbent for the removal of Cr (VI) and Ni (II) from its aqueous solution. Batch study was conducted to examine equilibrium time for the removal of Cr(VI) and Ni(II). The equilibrium time found to be 180 min for both metals where percentage removal was found to 93 % and 95 % for Cr (VI) and Ni (II) respectively. The experimental results were fitted to the kinetic models pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order models. The kinetic data reveals that the pseudo-first order model is found to be a suitable model for the adsorption process involved in the removal of Cr (VI) and Ni (II) from its aqueous solution.

Keywords: Activated carbon, batch study, kinetic models.