Effect of magnetic field on the removal of copper from aqueous solution using activated carbon derived from rice husk

Adsorptive removal of copper by activated carbon derived from modified rice husk (ACRH) was studied in the presence and absence of magnetic field (MF). The ACRH was prepared from the normal rice husk treated by NaOH solution and subsequent pyrolysis at 450 °C in the absence of oxygen. The physicochemical properties of ACRH's were determined before and after the adsorption process to delineate the adsorption mechanism. The BET analysis confirmed that the fabricated ACRH has a specific surface area of 8.244 m²/g with a mesopore to micropore ratio of 0.974. It was observed that the micropore structure gradually replaced the mesopores, and the surface area of the micropore increased (from 0.9219 to 4.1764 m²/g), and the pore diameter was also decreased from 180.381 to 46.249 Å after pyrolysis. The CHNO/S test result reveals that the carbon content was increased from 42 to 67.8% in the ACRH after pyrolysis. The batch sorption studies were performed by varying the initial adsorbate concentration, temperature, agitation speed, pH, adsorbent dose and contact time for magnetic and non-magnetic conditions to analyze the effect of the magnetic field. The univariate studies show that the maximum experimental adsorption capacity was 4.522 mg/g and 3.855 mg/g, respectively, for these two conditions (representing the magnetic impact) at 25 °C with an adsorbent dose of 2 g/L and an agitation speed of 150 rpm. It was also observed that the removal efficiency was 94.55% and 77.96% (magnetic and non-magnetic condition) at pH 7 with a concentration of 10 mg/L in 2 h. The test result on the impact of exposure time on the magnetic field suggested that the magnetic memory influenced the removal efficiency; after 40 to 60 min, the maximum removal efficiency was achieved, around 80 to 90%. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was best fitted with the experimental data with a rate constant as 0.1749 and 0.1006 g/mg/min for these two conditions. The Temkin model delineates the adsorption isotherm suggesting the heat generated during the adsorption process is linearly abate with the coverage of the surface area of the adsorbent. The thermodynamic model confirms that the copper adsorption is spontaneous (ΔG = - 3.91 kJ/mol and - 6.02 kJ/mol), wherein the negative enthalpy value (ΔH = - 36.74 kJ/mol and - 25.74 kJ/mol) suggested that the process is exothermic irrespective of magnetic interference. The significant enhancement of copper removal was observed by incorporating the magnetic field, showing an increase in sorption capacity by 17.48% and a reduction of reaction time by 88.12%.

Heavy Metal(loid) Remediation Using Bio-Waste

Heavy metal(loid)s are hazardous, biologically non-essential, non-biodegradable and persistent in nature, which can accumulate in plants and animals as well as in environment especially agri- and aqua- culture ecosystems. It is severely responsible for causing several health hazards problems in human, such as, cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, nephrological, dermatological, neurological disorders as well as carcinogenic effects. Removal of these heavy metals from living systems is extensively expensive and also unsuccessful in sent percent removal. Therefore, in order to protect the environment, the removal of heavy metal(loid)s from polluted effluents is essential before discharging into environment. Besides various treatment technologies, sorption of metal(loid)s using bio-wastes are highly potent alternatives in recent years. The present chapter deals with the removal efficiencies of various bio-wastes, orange peels, waste tea leaves, rice husk, wheat stalk, sugar cane bagasse, coconut husk, sun flower stalk, corn cob, nut shell, water hyacinth, crab shell particle, activated carbons etc. The present discussion has also revealed that bio-waste could be a low-cost eco-friendly and green emerging alternative technology in treating the metal(loid)s contaminated environment without posing any further adverse environmental impacts.