Performance of Unmodified Paper Solid Waste for Cadmium Removal From Aqueous Phase: Equilibrium and Kinetic Studies

The reuse of paper solid waste (PSW) as a low-cost sorbent for Cd removal from aqueous phase was investigated. Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH (3.5, 5.5, 7.5), contact time (10–360 min), PSW dose (2.5–20 g L^?1), and Cd concentration (5–50 mg L^?1) at an ionic strength of 0.01 M NaNO₃ on adsorption efficiency and capacity. Cd removal of ～96% occurred in 20 mg L^?1 Cd solution at pH 5.5 containing 20 g L^?1 PSW. Equilibrium was attained after 120 min and the equilibrium adsorption capacity of PSW increased with increasing Cd concentration from 5 to 50 mg L^?1. The kinetic process of Cd adsorption obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Langmuir and Freundlich models described equally well the experimental data and the maximum adsorption capacity was 4.89 mg g^?1. PSW can be used for reducing Cd concentration in Cd-contaminated water systems.