Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research (ISSN : 0975-7384)

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Original Articles: 2012 Vol: 4 Issue: 1

Effective removal of heavy metal ions from a binary mixture by adsorption on activated coconut shell carbon using complexing agent

Abstract

Simultaneous removal of Cu(II) – Zn(II) ions in the presence and absence of complexing agent was studied by batch adsorption techniques. The activated carbon used in the study was Coconut Shell Carbon (CSC) and the complexing agent, disodium salt of Ethylene Diammine Tetra Acetie acid (EDTA). Characterisation of the treated and untreated CSC was carried out using Infared speetroscopy (IR), Thermogravimetry (TG) and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The metal ion concentration in the adsorption study was determined complexometrically and confirmed by AAS. Experiments had been performed to study the effect of initial concentration of the metal ions / metal-EDTA, pH of the solution, contact time and dose rate of the CSC. The optimum conditions for the maximum removal of metal-EDTA complexes were determined. It was observed that EDTA assisted the removal of metal ions to an extent of 23% higher in the case of Cu(II ) and 28% in Zn(II) ion and also observed that less amount of CSC was required for the combined removal of the metal ions than what was required for the removal of individual metal ions at the same concentrations. The equilibrium data obtained had been fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption capacity of the CSC was found to decrease in the following order: Cu(EDTA)2->Zn(EDTA)2- >Cu(II)>Zn(II). The kinetics of adsorption obeyed first-order rate equation.