Removal of Select Heavy Metals from Polluted Water

摘要

Removal of select heavy metals viz. chromium, copper, manganese and zinc from synthetic wastewater with economically feasible materials with adsorption was investigated. Adsorption isotherms are obtained for select heavy metal from batch experiments. Experiments were also carried out infixed beds using sand as adsorbent for the different solutes. Solutions of varying concentrations of selected heavy metals of chromium and copper (2-20 ppm), manganese (2-10 ppm) and zinc 15-85 ppm were prepared and passed through sand filter. Leachate samples were analyzed for concentration of these elements by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The removal efficiency of heavy metals increased with increasing pH while it decreased with increasing metals concentration and injection rate. The removal efficiency was quite high for chromium 99.4-95%, followed by copper 98.6-94.8%, manganese 74.3-64.6%, and zinc 97.1-78.1%. The proposed method is efficient and cost effective and can successfully be used for heavy metal removal from water and wastewater.