Fixed bed column technology for adsorptive

removal of heavy metals from wastewater

using newly developed low-cost activated
carbon bed

Token- 15
 Content

Problem Statement
Objective
Scope of the study
Result and discussions
Conclusion
Significance of the study
References
 Problem statement
Water contamination: A big issue
Causes of water contamination:
Organic and inorganic compounds
Unskilled use of water resources [1]
Rapid industrialization results in use of Heavy metal, dyes and pesticides.
These water pollutants are non-biodegradable and toxic in nature [2]
Heavy metals pollution arise due to various industries [3]
Mining industry,
Electric and electronic
Glass manufacturing industry,
Paints and pigments
Automobiles industries etc.
Heavy metals such as arsenic, copper etc. causes serious health effects [4]
Skin manifestations
Visceral cancers,
Nervous system damage
Vascular disease, organ damage
Bones, brain, muscle
Kidney causes severe damage to the digestive
Heart and gonads diseases
 It is a challenge to provide clean water for society, plants,
animals, and other habitats
Research curiosity:
Production and modification of low cost adsorbents
To substitute costly wastewater treatment methods:
Chemical precipitation,
Ion-exchange,
Electro-flotation
Membrane separation
Solvent extraction
Advanced oxidation processes etc. [5]
Adsorption Process
Cost effective, Easy and simple to operate
Modified adsorbents have characteristic
Large surface area, Less expensive
More effective, Easily availability
 Objective
 Preparation of Activated carbon from Limonia acidissima shell (Wood apple shell) and
Kigelia africana (Balam Khira )
 Charaterization
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
X-ray diffraction (XRD)
Braunauer- Emmett-Teller (BET)
 To prepare bed from Limonia acidissima shell carbon and Kigelia africana carbon
 To estimate the performance of the Limonia acidissima shell carbon and Kigelia
africana carbon for removal of heavy metals ions in fixed bed column under various
conditions
Metal ions concentration
Bed height
Flow rate
pH
 Scope of the study
In order to accomplish the above mentioned objectives,
numerous scopes of works have been drawn
Preparation of activated carbon from low–cost
adsorbents by chemical modified using (H2SO4)
Detailed of the preparation steps of the activated
carbon from low-cost adsorbents as shown by block
diagram
Preparation of novel bed from prepared activated carbon
from low-cost adsorbents
Evaluation of the performance of the novel bed prepared
from modified adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals
especially arsenic, copper, lead, and, cadmium from
wastewater
Fixed bed column experiments were conducted with
metals ions concentration 10 to 50 mg/L
The flow rate applied in this experiments were from 15
to 25 ml/min, with bed height varied in the range 3 to 5
cm
The pH variation of metals ions was from 1 to 12
An efficient and effective bed for the elimination of
metals ions should have not only a better adsorption
capacity but also better desorption of metals ions
We have used two stripping agents first one is double
distilled water and the second one is HCl
Process diagram for preparation of activated carbon from Low-cost
adsorbents (Limonia Acidissima shell & Kigelia africana )

Low-cost Washing with

adsorbent Double Distilled Solar Dried
Collection water

Carbonization Sieved with

Cutting with
with H2SO4 Sieve Shaker
Crusher
[(1:1) w/v] (300 µm)

Put into furnace on Washed with

600 °C at 2 h in Dried at 105°C
nitrogen Double Distilled
atmosphere Water with 2 h

Activated
carbon of Low-
cost adsorbent
Different stage of Limonia Acidissima shell (a) Raw
of Limonia Acidissima shell (b) Raw powder Limonia
Acidissima shell (300 micron) (c) Activated carbon
Limonia Acidissima shell
Different stage of Kigelia africana (a)Raw of Kigelia
africana (b) Raw powder Kigelia africana (300
micron) (c) Activated carbon ofKigelia africana
 Result and discussions
for ACWAS

 Characterization of Limonia acidissima shell carbons and

Kigelia africana carbons
 Fixed bed column experiments
 Characterization
of ACWAS

 Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

(FTIR)
 Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
 X-ray diffraction (XRD)
 Braunauer- Emmett-Teller (BET)
FTIR spectrum of (a) before activation
(b) after activation of Limona
acidissima shell
FTIR spectra of (a) before activation (b)
after activation of Kigelia africana
SEM picture of (a) before activation (b)
after activation of Limonia acidissima
shell
SEM picture of (a) before activation (b) after
activation of Kigelia africana
XRD spectra of (a) before activation (b)
after activation of Limonia acidissima
shell
XRD spectra of (a) before activation (b)
after activation of Kigelia africana
BET study for (a) before activation (b)
after activation of Limonia
acidissima shell
Adsorbents Surface Average Pore Pore Volume
Ar ea diameter (nm) (cc/g)
(m2/g)

Before 56.68 5.93 0.196

Activation of
Limonia
Acidissima shell

After Activation 79.66 7.149 0.219

of Limonia
Acidissima shell
 BET study
for (a) before activation (b) after
activation of Kigelia africana

Adsorbent Surface Average Pore Pore Volume

Ar ea diameter (nm) (cc/g)
(m2/g)

Before 24.02 6.5 0.007

Activation of
Kigelia Africana
After activation 44.57 11.913 0.178
of Kigelia
Africana
Schematic diagram of lab scale fixed
bed column
 Parameters

Metals ions concentration - 10 to 50 mg/L

Flow rate - 15 to 25 ml/min
Bed height - 3 to 5 cm
pH of solution - 1 to 12
Breakthrough curve showing the effect of
bed height at 15 ml/min, 50 mg/L As (III)
concentration
 Breakthrough curve showing the effect of
flow rate at bed height 3cm, for 50 mg/L As
(III) concentration
 Breakthrough curve showing the effect of
feed concentration at bed height of 3 cm at 15
ml/min for 10 to 50 mg/L As (III) concentration
Effect of pH concentration at bed height of 3 cm at
15 ml/min for 10 to 50 mg/L As (III) concentration
Adsorption
decreased
at higher pH
Surface is
converted to
negative charge
by abundance of
hydroxyl ions in
the solution
Metals species (-
ve ) charged
species faces
electrostatics
repulsion
lower % removal
of metals ions
 Conclusion
Carbons bed prepared from low-cost adsorbents were
utilized for the removal of As (III) from wastewater in
the range of 10-50 mg/L
The study revealed the adsorption process fit well with
the Langmuir isotherm model
The adsorption process follow the pseudo-second-
order kinetic model
Maximum adsorption capacity as calculated from
Langmuir isotherm model is 68.77 and 84.21 mg/g for
removal of As (III) by using Limonia acidissima shell and
Kigelia africana carbon bed
 Significance of the study
The fixed-bed column use for the removal of heavy metals
from wastewater shows an exceptionally in low running
cost, easily operation, simplicity and low energy
consumption
This study can be used for scaling up at industrial level, to
treat large quantities of heavy metals from wastewater
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