Batch adsorption study of Iron (Fe3+) removal from industrial wastewater using activated biochar
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Description
The persistent problem of industrial effluents causing heavy metal pollution in Nigeria's ground and surface waters has been a longstanding concern. To create inexpensive adsorbents that can remove heavy metals from wastewater, this study looks into using activated bamboo's biochar as a precursor. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of variables (contact time, adsorbent dosage) on the adsorption efficiency of activated biochar in heavy metal removal from industrial wastewater. Utilising FTIR, SEM, and BET, the adsorbent was characterised. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry was used to analyse metallic elements. The adsorbate showed high levels of Fe3+, exceeding National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA)) and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Adsorbent dosage and contact time were two factors that were tested using batch adsorption. Maximum removal of Fe3+ was 87.721% at a 2g adsorbent dosage per 50 ml wastewater (40g/L wastewater). Fe3+ attained a maximum removal at 40 minutes. Pseudo-first order and Pseudo-second order kinetic models were analyzed and Fe3+ adsorption kinetics best fit into the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with a high R2 value of 0.9963 indicating a chemisorption mechanism. This study demonstrates the high efficiency of activated bamboo biochar for Fe³⁺ removal from industrial wastewater, highlighting its potential as an eco-friendly and cost effective alternative to conventional methods. Keywords: Adsorption, kinetics, activated biochar, bamboo, wastewater.