Characterization of Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions by a surplus agricultural waste--rice straw

The removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by rice straw, a surplus agricultural byproduct was investigated. The optimal pH was 2.0 and Cr(VI) removal rate increased with decreased Cr(VI) concentration and with increased temperature. Decrease in straw particle size led to an increase in Cr(VI) removal. Equilibrium was achieved in about 48 h under standard conditions, and Cr(III), which appeared in the solution and remained stable thereafter, indicating that both reduction and adsorption played a part in the Cr(VI) removal. The increase of the solution pH suggested that protons were needed for the Cr(VI) removal. A relatively high level of NO(3)(-) notably restrained the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), while high level of SO(4)(2-) supported it. The promotion of the tartaric acid modified rice straw (TARS) and the slight inhibition of the esterified rice straw (ERS) on Cr(VI) removal indicated that carboxyl groups present on the biomass played an important role in chromium remediation even though were not fully responsible for it. Isotherm tests showed that equilibrium sorption data were better represented by Langmuir model and the sorption capacity of rice straw was found to be 3.15 mg/g.     

Removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using modified red pine sawdust

The adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions on sawdust (SD), base extracted sawdust (BESD) and tartaric acid modified sawdust (TASD) of Turkish red pine tree (Pinus nigra), a timber industry waste, was studied at varying Cr(VI) concentrations, adsorbent dose, modifier concentration and pH. Batch adsorption studies have been carried out. Sawdust was collected from waste timber industry and modified with various amount of tartaric acid (TA) (0.1-1.5M). The batch sorption kinetics has been tested and the applicability of the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms for the present system has been tested at 25+/-2 degrees C. Under observed test conditions, the equilibrium adsorption data fits the linear Freundlich isotherms. An initial pH of 3.0 was most favorable for Cr(VI) removal by all adsorbents. Maximum Cr(VI) was sequestered from the solution within 120 min after the beginning for every experiment. The experimental result inferred that chelation and ion exchange is one of the major adsorption mechanisms for binding metal ions to the SD. Percentage removal of Cr(VI) was maximum at the initial pH of 3.0 (87.7, 70.6 and 55.2% by TASD, BESD, and SD, respectively). Adsorption capacities range from 8.3 to 22.6 mg/g for SD samples.     

Effective removal and fixation of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution with Friedel's salt

Friedel's salt (3CaO·Al₂O₃·CaCl₂·10H₂O or Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂Cl₂(H₂O)₄) is a calcium aluminate hydrate formed by hydrating cement or concrete in seawater at a low cost. In the current study, we carefully examined the adsorption behaviors of Friedel's salt for Cr(VI) from aqueous solution at different concentrations and various initial pHs. The adsorption kinetic data are well fitted with the pseudo-first-order Lageren equation at the initial Cr(VI) concentration from 0.10 to 8.00 mM. Both the experimental and modeled data indicate that Friedel's salt can adsorb a large amount of Cr(VI) (up to 1.4 mmol Cr(VI)/g) very quickly (t_1/2 = 2–3 min) with a very high efficiency (>99% Cr(VI) removal at [Cr] < 4.00 mM with 4.00 g/L of adsorbent) in the pH range of 4–10. In particular, the competitive adsorption tests show that the Cr(VI) removal efficiency is only slightly affected by the co-existence of Cl⁻ and HCO₃⁻. The Cr(VI)-fixation stability tests show that only less than 0.2% adsorbed Cr(VI) is leaching out in water at pH 4–10 for 24 h because the adsorption/exchange of Cr(VI) with Friedel's salt leads to the formation of a new stable phase (3CaO·Al₂O₃·CaCrO₄·10H₂O). This research thus suggests that Friedel's salt is a potential cost-effective adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal in wastewater treatment.     

Removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using agricultural waste 'maize bran'

Novel biosorbent 'maize bran' has been successfully utilized for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The effect of different parameters such as contact time, sorbate concentration, pH of the medium and temperature were investigated and maximum uptake of Cr(VI) was 312.52 (mgg(-1)) at pH 2.0, initial Cr(VI) concentration of 200mgL(-1) and temperature of 40 degrees C. Effect of pH showed that maize bran was not only removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution but also reducing toxic Cr(VI) into less toxic Cr(III). The sorption kinetics was tested with first order reversible, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order reaction and it was found that Cr(VI) uptake process followed the pseudo-second order rate expression. Mass transfer of Cr(VI) from bulk to the solid phase (maize bran) was studied at different temperatures. Different thermodynamic parameters, viz., DeltaG degrees , DeltaH degrees and DeltaS degrees have also been evaluated and it has been found that the sorption was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The Langmuir and Freundlich equations for describing sorption equilibrium were applied and it was found that the process was well described by Langmuir isotherm. Desorption studies was also carried out and found that complete desorption of Cr(VI) took place at pH of 9.5.     

Sorption of uranium(VI) from aqueous solutions by akaganeite

Removal of U(VI) ions from aqueous solutions was investigated using synthetic akaganeite-type nanocrystals. Nanocrystals of iron oxyhydroxides were synthesized with two different methods and then compared their adsorption capacities. Akaganeite (β-FeOOH) was synthesized in the laboratory by precipitation from aqueous solution of Fe(III) chloride and different precipitating agents. The relative importance of test parameters like solution pH, contact time, temperature and concentration of adsorbate on adsorption performance of akaganeite for U(VI) ion were studied. Typical adsorption isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Raduskevich) were determined for the mechanism of sorption process. Also the thermodynamic constants (ΔH°, ΔS° and ΔG°) were calculated. The product materials were examined by powder X-ray diffraction for crystalline phase identification and scanning electron microscope (SEM).     

Controllable preparation and efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic removal of Cr(VI) using optimized Cd0.5Zn0.5S nanoparticles decorated H-Titanate nanotubes

Based on one-dimensional (1D) H-titanate nanotubes (H-TNTs: TNTs with loosely distributed H⁺ across the interlayers), a novel series of Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S loaded H-TNTs (Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S/TNTs) composites with varied ratios have been achieved by the in-situ growth method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by (high-resolution) transmission electron microscopy (HR/TEM), XRD, FT-IR, XPS, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), fluorescence spectroscopy (FL), photocurrent, electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, etc. These studies concurrently revealed a successful formation of Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S/TNTs heterojunction, and a homogeneous distribution of Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S nanoparticles over the surface of 1D H-TNTs. The incorporation of the appropriate amount of Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S nanoparticles (10%) significantly improves the efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation. The photocatalytic reduction efficiency of the Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S/TNTs for Cr(VI) and degradation efficiency for organic molecules increased initially and then decreased with the amount of loaded Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S nanoparticles. The optimal photocatalytic efficiency was observed at 10 %Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S/TNTs, which were 2.71-fold and 4.8-fold than that of pure H-TNTs for the removal of the Cr(VI) and the degradation of the organic molecules, respectively. The ESR test signified that the holes (h⁺) and superoxide radicals (∙O₂^–) played an essential role in the degradation process of organic molecules. Finally, a reasonable explanation for enhanced photocatalysis performance was proposed.     

Removal of tetracycline from aqueous solutions using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-K30) modified nanoscale zero valent iron

The interactions of tetracycline (TC) with nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) modified by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-K30) were investigated using batch experiments as a function of reactant concentration, pH, temperature, and competitive anions. Transmission electron micrographs (TEM), BET surface area and Zeta (ζ)-potential analyses indicated that the mean particle size was 10-40 nm with a surface area of 36.90 m²/g, and a iso-electric point of PVP-NZVI was 7.2. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) of modified nanoscale zerovalent iron (PVP-NZVI) revealed that the iron nanoparticles likely have a core of zero-valent iron (Fe⁰), while a shell is largely made of iron oxides. Degradation of TC was strongly dependent on pH and temperature. The presence of silicate and phosphate strongly inhibited the removal of TC, whereas acetate and sulfate only caused slight inhibition. LC-MS analysis of the treated solution showed that the degradation products from TC resulted from the removal of functional groups from the TC ring. The degradation products were detected both in the treated solution (initial pH of 3.0 and 6.5) and on the surface of PVP-NZVI after 4-h interaction, indicating that PVP-NZVI can adsorb both TC and its degradation products.     

The influence of ferric iron in calcined nano-Mg/Al hydrotalcite on adsorption of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution

The influence of ferric iron in calcined nano-Mg/Al hydrotalcite on removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution was studied from aspects of structure characteristics, adsorption properties and mechanism discussions. The calcined hydrotalcites (CH-Mg/Al and CH-Mg/Al/Fe) were obtained by thermal decomposition of their corresponding precursors and characterized by XRD, TEM, pH(PZC) and FTIR. The adsorption properties were studied as a function of pH, initial Cr (VI) concentration and contact time. The results showed that the nature of adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous for both CH-Mg/Al and CH-Mg/Al/Fe, but the thermodynamic parameter value changes revealed the addition of Fe(3+) is disadvantage to adsorption process and the theoretical saturated adsorption capacity decreased by approximately 10.2mg/g at tested temperatures. The removal mechanism involved not only intercalation but adsorption on external surface of the layers and interlayer anion exchange for both CH-Mg/Al and CH-Mg/Al/Fe. Furthermore, the results also indicated that intercalation accounts for a large proportion during removal process whatever for CH-Mg/Al, or for CH-Mg/Al/Fe. Additionally, the replacement of Al(3+) by Fe(3+) in CH-Mg/Al led to the interlayer anion exchange more difficult. On the basis of the results, it is concluded that the existence of ferric iron in calcined Mg/Al hydrotalcite is unfavorable to removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution.     

Removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using pre-consumer processing agricultural waste: a case study of rice husk

This paper reports the feasibility of using pre-consumer processing agricultural waste to remove Cr(VI) from synthetic wastewater under different experimental conditions. For this, rice husk, has been used after pre-treatments (boiling and formaldehyde treatment). Effect of various process parameters, namely, pH, adsorbent dose, initial chromium concentration and contact time has been studied in batch systems. The removal of chromium was dependent on the physico-chemical characteristics of the adsorbent, adsorbate concentration and other studied process parameters. Maximum metal removal was observed at pH 2.0. The efficiencies of boiled and formaldehyde treated rice husk for Cr(VI) removal were 71.0% and 76.5% respectively for dilute solutions at 20gl(-1) adsorbent dose. The experimental data were analyzed using Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. It was found that Freundlich and D-R models fitted well. The results revealed that the hexavalent chromium is considerably adsorbed on rice husk and it could be an economical method for the removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous systems. FTIR and SEM were recorded, before and after adsorption, to explore number and position of the functional groups available for Cr(VI) binding on to studied adsorbents and changes in adsorbent surface morphology.     

NiOx modified cellulose cloth for the removal of U(VI) from water

In this present work, NiO_x nanoparticles were coated over cotton cloth for U⁶⁺ removal under various environmentally relevant conditions. Characterization of the NiO_x-coated cotton cloth showed a nanoflower-structured morphology over the cotton fabric, with poly-crystalline α-3Ni(OH)₂·2H₂O and microcrystalline cellulose on the surface. XRF analysis of the cloth revealed the presence of 93% of Ni, while XPS analysis indicated that the Ni present on the cloth was in the form of Ni²⁺2p_3/2 and Ni²⁺2p_1/2. The NiO_x-coated cotton cloth exhibited excellent U⁶⁺ immobilization with 93.5% removal within 6 min. The sorption capacity was ascertained to be 12.05 mg/g, and equilibrium studies indicated favorable monolayer adsorption. Solution pH had a significant effect on U⁶⁺ sorption on NiO_x-coated cotton cloth, with maximum immobilization occurring at pH 6. Sorption kinetics was best explained using pseudo-second order kinetics indicating chemisorption-based process. Post-sorption XPS of U⁶⁺sorbed NiO_x modified cotton cloth revealed only U⁶⁺ with no reduced forms, suggesting a pure adsorption-based immobilization mechanism. The superior performance even amongst the competing ions^-demonstrated that the NiO_x-coated cotton cloth is a low-cost, effective material for U⁶⁺ removal.     

A facile synthesis of supported amorphous iron oxide with high performance for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution under visible light irradiation

A series of supported iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by impregnation with Fe(NO₃)₃ supported on TiO_2, followed by low-temperature calcination. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra and BET have been used to characterize the samples. These iron oxide-impregnated TiO₂ were examined for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). The experiments demonstrated that Cr(VI) in aqueous solution was more efficiently reduced using Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ heterogeneous photocatalysts than either pure Fe₂O₃ or TiO₂ under visible light irradiation. All TiO₂ supported samples were somewhat active for visible light photoreduction. With an optimal mole ratio of 0.05-Fe/Ti, the highest rate of Cr(VI) reduction was achieved under the experimental conditions. We also compared the photoreactivity of TiO₂ supported iron oxide samples with that supported on Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂. It can be noted that iron oxide nanoparticles deposited on high surface area supports to increase the solid-liquid contact area renders it considerably more active. Noticeably, iron oxide cluster size and dispersion are important parameters in synthesizing active, supported Iron oxide nanoparticles. In addition, the interaction between iron oxide and TiO₂ was proposed as the source of photoactivity for Cr(VI) reduction.     

Efficient removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution by halloysite/poly(amidoamine) dendritic nano-hybrid materials: kinetic,isotherm and thermodynamic studies

This paper demonstrates functionalization of a new hybrid nanoclay for effective adsorption of chromium(VI) ions from wastewater. Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were functionalized by poly(amidoamine) dendritic polymers (HNTs-(DEN-NH₂)) via a convergent synthetic route by carboxylic acid as a linkage. Various characterization methods confirm that poly(amidoamine) dendritic groups were effectively grafted onto the surface of HNTs that found a high specific surface area of 75 m²/g, as measured by micrometric BET analyzer. Moreover, the adsorption activity of HNTs-(DEN-NH₂) for Cr(VI) was systematically investigated using a batch solution that reveals the removal efficiency of 98% for HNTs-(DEN-NH₂) comparing to 23% for pristine HNTs, at optimum conditions. The enhancement of Cr(VI) removal for HNTs-(DEN-NH₂) comparing to HNTs was mainly ascribed to be due to the electrostatic interaction, that was confirmed by the results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, regeneration studies display that HNTs-(DEN-NH₂) can maintain removal Cr(VI) with high efficiency after four consecutive cycles.     

Formation and mechanism of nanoscale zerovalent iron supported by phosphoric acid modified biochar for highly efficient removal of Cr(VI)

The effect of phosphoric acid modified biochar on activity of nanoscale zero valent iron particles is not clear until now. In this research, Egeria najas powder driven biochar-supported nanoscale zero valent iron was modified by phosphoric acid (P-BC/nZVI) for highly effective removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater. The TEM and XRD of P-BC/nZVI indicated that nZVI particles were successfully immobilized on the P-BC surface. The batch experiment results show that the Cr(VI) removal efficiency by P-BC/nZVI was higher than that of BC/nZVI, nZVI, P-BC and BC. Moreover, the optimal ratio of nZVI to P-BC lies at 3:1 with fixed P-BC/nZVI dosage of 0.75 g/L, initial Cr(VI) concentration of 20 mg/L, solution pH of 2, and reaction temperature of 333 K. Additionally, Cr(VI) removal capacities by nZVI, BC/nZVI and P-BC/nZVI aged for 15 days in water were 12.9 %, 28.55 % and 99.35 %, respectively. Furthermore, corresponding reaction kinetics fitted well with pseudo-second order model, and adsorption isotherm fitted to Sips isothermal model. The SEM-EDS and XPS confirm that Cr(VI) was participated in the reaction, and about 63.43 % of Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III), and the rest was adsorbed on the surface of P-BC/nZVI. The removal mechanism of Cr(VI) by P-BC/nZVI was complex, including adsorption, reduction and surface complex formation.     

Removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solution using treated oil palm fibre

This study proposed an oil palm by-product as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] from aqueous solution. Adsorption of Cr (VI) by sulphuric acid and heat-treated oil palm fibre was conducted using batch tests. The influence of pH, contact time, initial chromium concentration and adsorbent dosage on the removal of Cr (VI) from the solutions was investigated. The optimum initial pH for maximum uptake of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution was found to be 1.5. The removal efficiency was found to correlate with the initial Cr (VI) concentration, adsorbent dosage as well as the contact time between Cr (VI) and the adsorbent. The adsorption kinetics tested with pseudo first order and pseudo second order models yielded high R(2) values from 0.9254 to 0.9870 and from 0.9936 to 0.9998, respectively. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant difference between the R(2) values of the two models at 99% confidence level. The Freundlich isotherm (R(2)=0.8778) described Cr (VI) adsorption slightly better than the Langmuir isotherm (R(2)=0.8715). Difficulty in desorption of Cr (VI) suggests the suitability of treated oil palm fibre as a single-use adsorbent for Cr (VI) removal from aqueous solution.     

Synthesis of some ferromagnetic composite resins and their metal removal characteristics in aqueous solutions

In this study, a procedure for synthesis of new organic-inorganic magnetic composite resins was established. The procedure was based upon immobilization of magnetite (Mag) as a ferromagnetic material within the polymer poly(acrylic acid acrylonitrile) P(AA-AN) and the ion exchange resin (Amberlite IR120). The produced magnetic resins, IR120-PAN-Mag (R1) and P(AA-AN)-Mag (R2) were assessed as sorbents for Cr(VI). Various factors influencing the sorption of Cr(VI), e.g., pH, equilibrium time, initial concentration and temperature were studied. The sorption process was very fast initially and maximum sorption was achieved within 3 h and pH 5.1. The kinetic of the system has been evaluated with pseudo first order model, second order model, Elovich model, intra-particle diffusion model and liquid film diffusion model. Chromium interaction with composite particles followed second-order kinetics with a correlation coefficient extremely high and closer to unity and rate constant (k_s) has the values 1.68 × 10⁻⁴ and 1.9 × 10⁻⁴ g (mg⁻¹ min⁻¹) for R1 and R2, respectively. The values of equilibrium sorption capacity (q_e) are consistent with the modeled data and attain the range 893–951 mg g⁻¹. Kinetically, both pore diffusion and film diffusion are participating in ruling the diffusion of Cr(VI) ions. The sorption data gave good fits with Temkin and Flory–Huggins isotherm models. The isotherm parameters related to the heat of sorption are in the range 8–16 kJ mol⁻¹ which is the range of bonding energy for ion exchange interactions and so suggest an ion exchange mechanism for removal of Cr(VI) by the composite sorbents. The adsorption process was exothermic with ΔH in the range of −73 to −97 kJ mol⁻¹. The negative values of Gibbs free energy confirm the feasibility and the spontaneous nature of Cr(VI) removal with these novel composites.     

Facile synthesis of Ti3C2 MXene-modified Bi2.15WO6 nanosheets with enhanced reactivity for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)

Through a facile hydrothermal method, we have successfully prepared Ti₃C₂/Bi_2.15WO₆ (TC/BWO) composite, and systematically investigated their reactivity for the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) under visible light. X-ray diffraction and Raman analysis confirm the formation of heterostructure between Bi_2.15WO₆ and Ti₃C₂. The resultant 7TC/BWO composite exhibits enhanced photoactivity toward Cr(VI) reduction. After 120 min irradiation, the conversion of Cr(VI) reaches 92.5% with the quasi-first-order kinetic constant of k = 0.0145 min^?1, which is higher than that of pure BWO (30% and k = 0.0005 min^?1). The electrochemical and photoluminescent characterization confirm that the introduction of Ti₃C₂ is conducive to the separation of carriers, thus significantly improves the photocatalytic performance of TC/BWO. Furthermore, the radical capture experiments verify that the electrons are important for enhancing reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). As a result, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of the reduction of Cr(VI) by TC/BWO composite under visible light.     

Chromium(VI) removal from aqueous medium by maize cane and agave bagasse biomasses

Chromium(VI) is a major water pollutant from industrial effluents whose concentration is to be reduced within the permissible limits. In this paper, the use of maize cane and agave bagasse as inexpensive adsorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions is considered. In the first place, they were conditioned and characterized to determine their physicochemical properties with scanning electron microscopy; the elemental composition with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS); the principal functional groups with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; thermal stability with thermogravimetric analysis; and surface properties by specific surface hydration kinetics, point of zero charge determination by mass titration, and active site density are described. In the second place, their adsorption properties for Cr(VI) from aqueous solution were evaluated in a batch system. The kinetics of Cr(VI) sorption with both natural adsorbents were described with a pseudo-second-order model. Equilibrium data were found to be best represented for both adsorbents by the Freundlich isotherm model. Maize cane and agave bagasse can be effectively used as an adsorbents for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from the aqueous solution.     

Efficient removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by natural pyrite/rhodochrosite derived materials: Performance,kinetic and mechanism

In this work, pyrite/rhodochrosite (Py_xRh_y) composite synthesized from natural pyrite and rhodochrosite to remediate Cr(VI) containing wastewater was systematically investigated and evaluated. Results show that pyrite/rhodochrosite (1:1) showed the best Cr(VI) removal performance. XRD showed that emergence of MnS and pyrrhotite contributed to a significant increasing Cr(VI) reduction rate. The estimated maximum adsorption capacity was 95.58 mg/g at pH value of 6, temperature of 303.15 k, which was larger than other iron and manganese-based materials. Additionally, thermodynamic study illuminated that Cr(VI) removal by Py₁Rh₁ was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Taffel curve and EIS result presented higher corrosion current and lower electrical resistance for Py₁Rh₁, respectively, which was more favorable for the electron transfer. The surface cyclic regeneration of Fe(II) and Mn(II) provided long-term electron transfer to the Cr(VI) reduction. Our results demonstrated the great potentials of natural pyrite and rhodochrosite synthetic materials in the remediation of Cr(VI) polluted water.     

Removal of As(V) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using solid waste from leather industry

This study evaluated the feasibility of using a solid waste from the leather industry as an adsorbent for removal of Cr(VI) and As(V) from aqueous media. The adsorbent material was characterized by chemical analyses, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) prior to reaction in order to assess its surface properties. Langmuir and Freundlich equations were used for analyzing the experimental data, which showed a better fit to the Langmuir model, thus suggesting a monolayer adsorption process in the surface of the adsorbent. The high amounts of Cr(VI)-133 mg g(-1) and As(V)-26 mg g(-1) adsorbed demonstrates the great potential for using this solid waste from the leather industry as a low-cost alternative to the traditionally used adsorbent materials.     

Removal of Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by Alternanthera philoxeroides biomass

Alternanthera philoxeroides biomass, a type of freshwater macrophyte, was used for the sorptive removal of Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. Variables of the batch experiments include solution pH, contact time, particle size and temperature. The biosorption capacities are significantly affected by solution pH. Higher pH favors higher Ni(II), Zn(II) removal, whereas higher uptake of Cr(VI) is observed as the pH is decreased. A two-stage kinetic behavior is observed in the biosorption of Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cr(VI): very rapid initial biosorption in a few minutes, followed by a long period of a slower uptake. It is noted that an increase in temperature results in a higher Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cr(VI) loading per unit weight of the sorbent. Decreasing the particle sizes of the Alternanthera philoxeroides biomass leads to an increase in the Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cr(VI) uptake per unit weight of the sorbent. All isothermal data are fairly well fitted with Langmuir equations. The thermodynamic parameter, DeltaG degrees, were calculated. The negative DeltaG degrees values of Cr(VI), Ni(II) and Zn(II) at various temperatures confirm the adsorption processes are spontaneous.