Removal of Certain Heavy Metals from Brewery Wastewater Using Date Palm Seeds Activated Carbon

Abstract

Abstract. In Nigeria, most of the brewery industries discharge their wastewater directly into the water body without adequate treatment. Wastewater from the brewery processes contains some heavy metals which in this study, attempts were made to reduce their concentration using activated carbon. Batch studies were carried out using date palm seeds activated carbon in the removal of lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) ion from industrial wastewater under conditions such as contact time and adsorbent dosage. Pb and Cr concentration in the wastewater were brought within World Health Organization (WHO) maximum limit of 0.01 and 0.05 mg/L for water, respectively, at 60 min of contact time across all the considered adsorbent doses of 10×103, 20×103, 30×103, and 40×103 mg/L while Cd concentration was brought within the WHO maximum limit of 0.003 mg/L at 80 min of contact time using 30×103 mg/L of the adsorbent. The sorption data fitted well into Langmuir isotherm which was very suitable for describing the sorption equilibrium with high regression values (>0.98). This study showed that date palm seeds activated carbon is suitable for the adsorption of Pb, Cr, and Cd, and as such could be used as a cost effective adsorbent in the treatment of brewery and other industrial wastewater. Keywords: Activated carbon, Adsorbent dose, Adsorption, Brewery wastewater, Contact time, Date palm seeds, Heavy metals.