SACCHARUM MUNJA DERIVED BIOCHAR LOADED WITH HEMATITE NANOMATERIAL FOR REMEDIATION OF CHROMIUM(III) FROM AQUEOUS ENVIRONMENT: ISOTHERMAL, ERROR ANALYSIS, KINETIC AND THERMODYNAMIC STUDIES

Abstract

Three forms of Saccharum munja had been utilized for a comparison among uptake of chromium metal from aqueous media. Scanning electron microscope characterization of sorbents revealed microporous and tubular structure in modified nanomaterial. Fourier transform infrared analysis explored different surface attaching ionic groups like hydroxyl, carbonyl also nitro groups, responsible for metal uptake from solution. Experiments on concentration factor suggested maximum percent sorption capacity of 89.65 by hematite loaded Saccharum munja biochar. Adsorption equilibrium data implication on isotherms and error functions favored experimental findings. Calculation of two forms of different isotherms for example Dubinin-Radushkevich, Langmuir, Temkin and Freundlich isotherm supported adsorption experiments with high R2>0.9 values for all sorbents. Error analysis indicated favorable results by five errors but chi-square test error values were minimum in both linear data and non-linear data. Kinetic modeling results indicated high rate of adsorption as shown by their large R2 value and closely related k, Qe and h values. Thermodynamic results showed that biosorption reactions were endothermic and spontaneous. These results also suggest that hematite loaded nanomaterials are good biosorbents for chromium metal uptake in minimum concentration and high output. Desorption study was essential for recovery of nanomaterial to be used again and again in experiments.