The potential of quaternized wood (QW) chips in removing hexavalent chromium from synthetic solution and chrome waste under both batch and continuous-flow conditions was investigated. Sorption was found to be dependent on pH, metal concentration, and temperature. QW chips provide higher sorption capacity and wider pH range compared with untreated wood chips. The equilibrium data could be fitted into the Langmuir isotherm model, and maximum sorption capacities were calculated to be 27.03 and 25.77 mg/g in synthetic chromate solution and chrome waste, respectively. The presence of sulfate in high concentration appeared to suppress the uptake of chromium by QW chips. Column studies showed that bed depth influenced the breakthrough time greatly whereas flow rate of influent had little effect on its sorption on the column.
Spent bleaching earth, an industrial waste produced after the bleaching of crude palm oil, was investigated for its potential in removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The earth was treated with different amounts of sulfuric acid and under different activation temperatures. Results show that the optimum treatment process involved 10% sulfuric acid at 350 degrees C. The effects of contact time, pH, initial concentration, sorbent dosage, temperature, sorption isotherms and the presence of other anions on its sorption capacity were studied. Isotherm data could be fitted into a modified Langmuir isotherm model implying monolayer coverage of Cr(VI) on acid activated spent bleaching earth. The maximum sorption capacity derived from the Langmuir isotherm was 21.2 mg g(-1). This value was compared with those of some other low cost sorbents. Studies of anion effect on the uptake of Cr(VI) on acid activated spent bleaching earth provided the following order of suppression: EDTA >PO4(3-)>SO4(2-)>NO3(-)>Cl(-).
This paper describes an investigation on the effect of microbial removal using IMF for high quality drinking water production. The comparison of IMF and IMF-PAC configuration was carried out in the study to highlight the importance of PAC in the system. The specific objective of this study was to study the effect of PAC adsorption in the IMF-PAC system particularly in removing microbial substances from contaminated raw water. A bench scale IMF-PAC configuration using a flat sheet microfiltration membrane was set up for experimental purposes. Experimentally, the result has shown high removal of microbial substances with the IMF-PAC system compared to IMF. The result of E. coli removal achieved was below the detectable level due to the microbial size, which is bigger than membrane pore size. The addition of PAC has shown a direct effect on total microbial removal. The adsorption of microbial onto PAC surfaces reduced the amount of smaller microbial present in permeate samples. As a conclusion, the configuration of IMF is a promising separation process in removing microbial substances, especially when the system is combined with PAC.
The objective of this study is to investigate the potential of the activated rice husk to be used as an alternative adsorbent to powdered activated carbon (PAC) in the simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation processes under sequencing batch reactor (SBR) operation to treat synthetic wastewater containing phenol, p-methylphenol, p-ethylphenol and p-isopropylphenol. The rice husk (PRH) was activated by pyrolysis at 600 degrees C for 5 hours in a nitrogen atmosphere. Using the Langmuir model, the limiting adsorption capacities of PRH for the phenols were found to vary from 0.015-0.05 of those of PAC. The SBR reactors with and without adsorbent addition were operated with fill, react, settle, draw and idle periods in the ratio of 4:6:1:0.76:0.25 for a cycle time of 12 hours. For phenolic wastewater containing, 1,200 mg/L phenol, 1,200 mg/L p-methylphenol, 800 mg/L p-ethylphenol and 660 mg/L p-isopropylphenol, it was found that the biodegradation process alone was unable to produce effluent of quality which would satisfy the discharge standards of COD < or = 100 mg/L and phenol concentration < or = 1 mg/L. The addition of PAC in the ratio of PAC/phenolic compound at 0.095 g/g for phenol, 0.119 g/g for p-methylpheol, 0.179 g/g for p-ethylphenol and 0.220 g/g for p-isopropylphenol, can improve the effluent quality to satisfy the discharge standards. Equivalent treatment performance was achieved with the use of PRH at dosages of 2-3 times higher than those of PAC for all the phenolic wastewater studied. The increased adsorption capacity of PRH shown in the treatment indicates bioregeneration of the adsorbed surface during the treatment process.
A study on the modification of rice husk by various carboxylic acids showed that tartaric acid modified rice husk (TARH) had the highest binding capacities for Cu and Pb. The carboxyl groups on the surface of the modified rice husk were primarily responsible for the sorption of metal ions. A series of batch experiments using TARH as the sorbent for the removal of Cu and Pb showed that the sorption process was pH dependent, rapid and exothermic. The sorption process conformed to the Langmuir isotherm with maximum sorption capacities of 29 and 108 mg/g at 27 +/- 2 degrees C for Cu and Pb, respectively. The uptake increased with agitation rate. Decrease in sorbent particle size led to an increase in the sorption of metal ions and this could be explained by an increase in surface area and hence binding sites. Metal uptake was reduced in the presence of competitive cations and chelators. The affinity of TARH for Pb is greater than Cu.
Elevated levels of nutrients in agroindustry wastewaters, and higher reliance on chlorination pose health threats due to formation of chlorinated organics as well as increased chlorination costs. Removals of ammonium and nitrate compounds were studied using activated carbon from palm shells, as adsorbent and support media. Experiments were carried out at several loadings, F:M from 0.31 to 0.58, and hydraulic residence times (HRT) of 24 h, 12 h and 8 h. Results show that the wastewater treatment process achieved removals of over 90% for COD and 62% for Total-N. Studies on removals from river water were carried out in sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and activated carbon biofilm (ACB) reactor. Removals achieved by the SBR adsorption-biodegradation combination were 67.0% for COD, 58.8% for NH3-N and 25.5% for NO3-N while for adsorption alone the removals were only 37.0% for COD, 35.2% for NH3-N and 13.8% for NO3-N. In the ACB reactor, at HRT of 1.5 to 6 h, removals ranged from 12.5 to 100% for COD, 16.7 to 100% for NO3-N and 13.5 to 100% for NH3-N. Significant decrease in removals was shown at lower HRT. The studies have shown that substantial removals of COD, NO3-N and NH3-N from both wastewater and river water may be achieved via adsorption-biodegradation by biofilm on activated carbon processes.
Non-living biomass of Pycnoporus sanguineus has an ability to take up lead,copper and cadmium ions from an aqueous solution. The role played by various functional groups in the cell wall and the mechanism uptake of lead, copper and cadmium by Pycnoporus sanguineus were investigated. Modification of the functional groups such as lipids, carboxylic and amino was done through chemical pretreatment in order to study their role in biosorption of metal ions. Results showed that the chemical modification of these functional groups has modified the ability of biomass to remove lead, copper and cadmium ions from the solution. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to study the morphological structure of the biomass before and after adsorption. The electron micrograph indicated that the structure of biomass changed due to the adsorption of the metals onto the cell walls. Furthermore, the X-ray energy dispersion analysis (EDAX) showed that the calcium ion present in the cell wall of biomass was released and replaced by lead ions. This implied that an ion exchange is one of the principal mechanisms for metal biosorption.
Iron(III)-poly(hydroxamic acid) resin complex has been studied for its sorption abilities with respect to arsenate and arsenite anions from an aqueous solution. The complex was found effective in removing the arsenate anion in the pH range of 2.0 to 5.5. The maximum sorption capacity was found to be 1.15 mmol/g. The sorption selectivity showed that arsenate sorption was not affected by chloride, nitrate and sulphate. The resin was tested and found effective for removal of arsenic ions from industrial wastewater samples.
Layered double hydroxide of Mg-Al-carbonate system (MACH) was prepared and its heat-treated product (MACHT) was obtained by calcination at 500 degrees C. The resulting materials were used as an adsorbent for removal of color from synthetic textile wastewater (STW) and textile wastewater (TWW). Batch kinetic study showed that these materials are an efficient adsorbent for textile dye. The maximum adsorption capacities between 16 to 32 mg of dyes per g of adsorbent was obtained by fitting the adsorption data to the Langmuir adsorption Isotherm. It was found that the adsorption capacity of MACHT is higher than MACH.
The adsorption, desorption, and mobility of permethrin in six tropical soils was determined under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The six soils were selected from vegetable growing areas in Malaysia. Soil organic matter (OM) was positively correlated (r2 = 0.97) with the adsorption of permethrin. The two soils, namely, Teringkap 1 and Lating series with the highest OM (3.2 and 2.9%) released 32.5 and 30.8% of the adsorbed permethrin after four consecutive repetitions of the desorption process, respectively, compared to approximately 75.4% of the Gunung Berinchang soil with the lowest OM (1.0%) under the same conditions. The mobility of permethrin down the soil column was inversely correlated to the organic matter content of the soil. Permethrin residue penetrated only to the 10-15 cm zone in the Teringkap 1 soil with 3.2% OM but penetrated to a depth of more than 20 cm in the other soils. The Berinchang series soil with the lowest OM (1.0%) yielded leachate with 14.8% permethrin, the highest level in leachates from all the soils tested. Therefore, the possibility for permethrin to contaminate underground water may be greater in the presence of low organic matter content, which subsequently allows a higher percentage of permethrin to move downwards through the soil column.
The sorption of Cu(II) and Cd(II) from synthetic solution by powdered activated carbon (PAC), biomass, rice husk (RH) and activated rice husk (ARH) were investigate under batch conditions. After activated by concentrated nitric acid for 15 hours at 60-65 degrees C, the adsorption capacity for RH was increased. The adsorbents arranged in the increasing order of adsorption capacities to the Langmuir Q degree parameter were biomass > PAC > ARH > RH. The addition of adsorbents in base mix solution had increased the specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) activated sludge microorganisms with and without the presence of metals. The increased of SOUR were due to the ability of PAC and RH in reducing the inhibitory effect of metals on microorganisms and provide a reaction site between activated sludge microorganisms and substrates.
A series of experiments were conducted to compare the pore development in palm-shell and coconut-shell-based activated carbons produced under identical experimental conditions. Carbonization and activation processes were carried out at 850 degrees C using a fluidized bed reactor. Within the range of burn-off studied, at any burn-off, the micropore and mesopore volumes created in palm-shell-based activated carbon were always higher than those of coconut-shell-based activated carbon. On macropore volume, for palm-shell-based activated carbon, the volume increased with increase in burn-off up to 30% and then decreased. However, for coconut-shell-based activated carbon, the change in macropore volume with burn-off was almost negligible but the absolute macropore volume decreased with burn-off.
The sorption characteristics of Cr(VI) and Cu(II) by ethylenediamine modified rice hull from single and binary metal ion solutions were evaluated under various experimental conditions. Optimal Cr(VI) and Cu(II) removal from single metal ion solutions occurred at pH 2.0 and 5.5, respectively. Simultaneous removal of Cr(VI) and Cu(II) occurred at pH greater than 3.0. The sorption kinetics of Cr(VI) and Cu(II) from single and binary metal ion solutions were studied with reference to metal concentration, agitation rate and particle size. Sorption of Cr(VI) was more rapid than Cu(II). The kinetics of metal ion sorption fitted a pseudo-second order expression. The variation in the initial uptake rates was very small at an agitation rate beyond 150 rpm and sorption was generally independent of particle size. Equilibrium sorption data could be fitted into the Langmuir isotherm equation. Maximum sorption capacities of ethylenediamine modified rice hull for Cr(VI) at pH 2 and Cu(II) at pH 4 in single metal solutions were 0.45 and 0.06 mmol g(-1), respectively. This corresponds to an enhancement factor of 2.6 and 3 fold for Cr(VI) and Cu(II), respectively, compared to natural rice hull. A synergistic effect was observed for sorption of these ions in binary metal solutions.
Wastewater treatment systems employing simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation processes have proven to be effective in treating toxic pollutants present in industrial wastewater. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of Cu(II) and the efficacy of the powdered activated carbon (PAC) and activated rice husk (ARH) in reducing the toxic effect of Cu(II) on the activated sludge microorganisms. The ARH was prepared by treatment with concentrated nitric acid for 15 h at 60-65 degrees C. The sequencing batch reactor (SBR) systems were operated with FILL, REACT, SETTLE, DRAW and IDLE modes in the ratio of 0.5:3.5:1:0.75:0.25 for a cycle time of 6 h. The Cu(II) and COD removal efficiency were 90 and 85%, respectively, in the SBR system containing 10 mg/l Cu(II) with the addition of 143 mg/l PAC or 1.0 g PAC per cycle. In the case of 715 mg/l ARH or 5.0 g ARH per cycle addition, the Cu(II) and COD removal efficiency were 85 and 92%, respectively. ARH can be used as an alternate adsorbent to PAC in the simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation wastewater treatment process for the removal of Cu(II). The specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) and kinetic studies show that the addition of PAC and ARH reduce the toxic effect of Cu(II) on the activated sludge microorganisms.
1. Thirty male rabbits of local strain (weighing 1.5-2 kg) were divided into five groups. Four groups were treated with an oral dose of paraquat, which was followed by either Fuller's Earth or activated charcoal 0.5 or 2.0 h later. The remaining group acted as the control group and was treated only with an oral dose of paraquat. The dose of paraquat was 20.0 mg/kg given in a concentration of 20.0 mg/mL. 2. Both adsorbents were administered in 15 mL normal saline as a 30% slurry. Blood was sampled from the ear vein 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24h after the administration of paraquat. 3. Paraquat concentration was determined spectophotometrically at 600 nm by comparing against a standard curve of paraquat obtained by the addition of standard paraquat into normal rabbit serum and extracting interfering substances with ether. 4. The results of the present study show that either adsorbent can bring down the serum paraquat level. There was no significant difference found in the effectiveness of either adsorbent. 5. It is concluded that the administration of an adsorbent as early as possible will help in the reduction of paraquat absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. 6. Activated charcoal is still effective in lowering serum paraquat concentration when given more than 1 h after ingestion of paraquat.
Common conventional biological treatment methods fail to decolorize palm oil mill effluent (POME). The present study focused on using the abundant palm oil mill boiler (POMB) ashes for POME decolorization. The POMB ashes were subjected to microwave irradiation and chemical treatment using H2SO4. The resultant adsorbents were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The adsorption efficiency was evaluated at various pH levels (2-8.5), adsorption dosages (3-15 g) in 200 mL, and contact times (1-5 h). The microwave-irradiated POMB-retained ash recorded the highest color removal of 92.31%, for which the best conditions were pH 2, 15 g adsorbent dosage in 200 mL, and 5 h of contact time. At these best treatment conditions, the color concentration of the treated effluent was analyzed using the method proposed by the American Dye Manufacturers Institute (ADMI). The color concentration was 19.20 ADMI, which complies with the Malaysia discharge standard class A. The Freundlich isotherm model better fit the experimental data and had a high R2 of 0.9740. Based on these results, it can be deduced that microwave-irradiated POMB-retained ash has potential applications for POME decolorization via a biosorption process.
Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (CECs) have been introduced as one type of recalcitrant pollutant sources in water. In this study, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (DCF) has been removed from water solutions using Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP), synthetized via bulk polymerization with allylthiourea (AT) as the functional monomer and using DCF as template (MIP-DCF). DCF detection has been performed by UV spectrophotometer. From the kinetic study in batch mode, approximately 100% of removal is observed by using 10mg of MIP-DCF, with an initial concentration of 5mg/L of DCF at pH7, within 3min and agitated at 25°C. In continuous flow mode study, using a cartridge pre-packed with 10mg of MIP-DCF, a high adsorption capacity of 160mgDCF/g MIP was obtained. To study the porosity of MIPs, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used. In order to characterize the chemical interaction between monomer and template, the pre-polymerization mixture for MIP and DCF has also been studied by 1H NMR. One of the chemical shift observed has been related to the formation of a complex between amine protons of thiourea group of AT with carboxylic acid on DCF. In conclusion, the developed MIP works as a good adsorbent for DCF removal, and is selective to DCF in the presence of indomethacin and ibuprofen.
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of treated rice husk ash (RHA) as adsorbent to adsorb acidic SO2 gas. The treated RHA was prepared using a water hydration method by mixing the RHA, Calcium oxide (CaO) and Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH). The addition of NaOH is to increase the dissolution of silica from the RHA to form reactive species responsible for higher desulfurization activity. The untreated and treated RHA were subjected to several characterizations and the characteristics of the adsorbents were compared. The functional groups present on the surface of the adsorbent were determined using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The chemical composition of the untreated and treated RHA was analyzed by using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that the treated RHA has higher porosity compared to untreated RHA. Based on the SO2 adsorption analysis, it was found that the treated RHA has higher adsorption capacity, 62.22 mg/g, compared to untreated RHA, 1.49 mg/g.
This paper presents the adsorption capacity of a biosorbent derived from the inner part of durian (Durio zibethinus) rinds, which are a low-cost and abundant agro-waste material. The durian rind sorbent has been successfully utilized to remove lanthanum (La) and yttrium (Y) ions from their binary aqueous solution. The effects of several adsorption parameters including contact time, pH, concentrations of La and Y, and temperature on the removal of La and Y ions were investigated. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics of the metal ions were also evaluated in detail. Both La and Y ions were efficiently adsorbed by the biosorbent with optimum adsorption capacity as high as 71 mg La and 35 mg Y per gram biosorbent, respectively. The simultaneous adsorption of La and Y ions follows Langmuir isotherm model, due to the favorable chelation and strong chemical interactions between the functional groups on the surface of the biosorbent and the metal ions. The addition of oxygen content after adsorption offers an interpretation that the rare-earth metal ions are chelated and incorporated most probably in the form of metal oxides. With such high adsorption capacity of La and Y ions, the durian rind sorbent could potentially be used to treat contaminated wastewater containing La and Y metal ions, as well as for separating and extracting rare-earth metal ions from crude minerals.