Removal of arsenic from aqueous solution using polyaniline/rice husk nanocomposite

The present study deals with the adsorption of arsenic ions from aqueous solution on polyaniline/rice husk (PAn/RH) nanocomposite. Batch studies were performed to evaluate the influence of various experimental parameters like pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and the effect of temperature. Optimum conditions for arsenic removal were found to be pH 10, adsorbent dosage of 10 g/L and equilibrium time 30 minutes. Adsorption of arsenic followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The equilibrium adsorption isotherm was better described by Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. The adsorption capacity (q _max ) of PAn/RH for arsenic ions in terms of monolayer adsorption was 34.48 mg/g. The change of entropy (ΔS⁰) and enthalpy (ΔH⁰) was estimated at −0.066 kJ/(mol K) and −22.49 kJ/mol, respectively. The negative value of the Gibbs free energy (ΔG⁰) indicates feasible and spontaneous adsorption of arsenic on PAn/RH.