Cu (II) adsorption in rice husk for water treatment: Batch and fixed column experiments

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Cu (II) is a heavy metal found in water bodies and harmful to the environment and human health. Thus, this study evaluated Cu (II) adsorption in rice husk using batch and fixed bed tests, employing synthetic solutions and real water samples to simulate contaminated water treatment. Batch tests were performed using rice husk and synthetic Cu (II) solutions with concentrations varying from 1 to 128 mgL−1. The isothermal behavior of the adsorption process was evaluated using Langmuir and Freundlich nonlinear models, whereas mechanisms and adsorption rates were assessed using pseudo-first and pseudo-second order kinetic models. The fixed bed column was mounted on a 5-cm thick rice husk adsorbent bed and synthetic and real solutions were employed (concentration: 8 mg L−1; flux: 13 mL min−1). The equilibrium was reached after 20 min, with the best adjustment to the pseudo-second order model. The experimental data were better adjusted to the Langmuir model (estimated qmax: 7.19 mgg−1). The adsorption column exhibited adsorption capacities of 1.28 and 1.12 mgg−1 and saturation percentages of 83 % and 79 % for synthetic and real solutions, respectively, and were adjusted to Thomas model. The results indicate that rice husk can be an effective alternative for Cu (II) removal in contaminated water.