Adsorption Studies of Zn (II) ions from Wastewater using Calotropis procera as an Adsorbent

Abstract

Increased industrialization and human activities have impacted on the environment through disposal waste containing heavymetals. The presence of heavy metals in the environment can be detrimental to a variety of living species. Metals can bedistinguished from other toxic pollutants, because these are non biodegradable, may undergo transformation, and can have a largeenvironmental, public health, and economic impact. The presence of toxic heavy metal contaminants in aqueous streams, arisingfrom the discharge of untreated metal containing effluents into water bodies, is one of the most important environmental issues.Zinc is an essential mineral, but too much is not beneficial. Symptoms of zinc toxicity include nausea/vomiting, fever, cough,diarrhea, fatigue, neuropathy and dehydration. Adsorption technique is one of the most important technologies for the treatment ofpolluted water from zinc, but seeking for the low-cost adsorbent is the target of this study. Removal of zinc studied using adsorbentprepared from poly vinyl activated charcoal of calotropis procera leaves (PVAC-CP). Batch adsorption experiments performed byvarying adsorbent dose, pH of the metal ion solution and contact time. Adsorption of zinc is highly pH dependent and the resultsindicate that the maximum removal (85.8%) took place at dose 15gm/l in the pH range of 6 and initial concentration of 60 ppm.Kinetic experiments reveal that the dilute zinc solution reached equilibrium within 105 min. the adsorbent capacity was alsostudied the zinc adsorption followed both the Langmuir and Freundlich equation isotherms. Comprehensive characterization ofparameters indicates that PVAC-CP to be an excellent material for adsorption of zinc ion to treat wastewater containing lowconcentration of the metal.