Removal of cadmium heavy metal ion using recycled black toner powder

Abstract

The presence of heavy metal ions in the industrial effluents is considered as a major threat to humans and to the ecosystem. Among the available various types of heavy metal ions, cadmium is widely used in many industrial applications and is also considered as the hazardous heavy metal ion even in low level of concentration. In this present work, an attempt has been made to utilize the recycled black toner powder as a low cost adsorption material in the removal of toxic cadmium heavy metal ion. Batch adsorption technique was used for the removal of cadmium heavy metal ion. The experiments were conducted by varying the pH values from 3, 5 and 7, contact time from 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 min and the dosage of the adsorbent from 2, 4, 6 and 8 g/L. Experimental results shows that the cadmium heavy metal ions were effectively removed for pH value of 5 and increasing the adsorbent dosage doesn’t aid in increasing the adsorption rate. Rapid adsorption of cadmium heavy metal ions was observed only during the first 30 min of contact time and it reached equilibrium after contact time of 45 min.