Adsorption, kinetics and equilibrium studies on removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using different low-cost adsorbents

Abstract

Abstract The removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by batch adsorption technique using different low-cost adsorbents was investigated. Adsorbents such as clarified sludge—a steel industry waste material, rice husk ash, activated alumina, fuller's earth, fly ash, saw dust and neem bark were used to determine the adsorption efficiency. The influence of pH, adsorbent type and concentration, initial Cr(VI) concentration and contact time on the selectivity and sensitivity of the removal process were investigated. Adsorption process was found to be highly pH dependent. The optimum pH range for adsorption of Cr(VI) was found to be between 2 and 3. Kinetics studies were performed to understand the mechanistic steps of the adsorption process and the rate kinetics for the adsorption of Cr(VI) was best fitted with the pseudo-2nd-order kinetic model. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were applicable to the adsorption process and their constants were evaluated. The thermodynamic equilibrium constant and the Gibbs free energy were determined for each system. The adsorption capacity (qmax) calculated from Langmuir isotherm and the Gibbs free energy (ΔGo) value obtained for the different adsorbents showed that clarified sludge was the most effective among the selected adsorbents for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The adsorption efficiencies of rice husk ash and activated alumina were also equally comparable with that of clarified sludge.