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Sawdust of lam tree (Cordia africana) as a low-cost, sustainable and easily available adsorbent for the removal of toxic metals like Pb(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solution

Cordia africana Sägemehl als billiges, nachhaltig verfügbares und leicht erhältliches Adsorbens zur Entfernung toxischer Metalle wie Pb(II) und Ni(II) aus wässriger Lösung

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Abstract

Sawdust of lam tree (Cordia africana) has been investigated as an adsorbent for the removal of lead and nickel ions from aqueous solution. Since lam tree is widely grown in almost all the eastern, western, central and southern tropical African countries (United States Department of Agriculture, GRIN, Maryland), it can be a common most easily available, sustainable, low cost adsorbent for the treatment of wastewaters in this part of the world where growing industrialization is affecting water quality like elsewhere in the world. Therefore, it is worthwhile to investigate the potential of sawdust of lam tree as an adsorbent for the removal of lead and nickel ions from aqueous solution as a first step. The effect of contact time, pH, metal ion concentration and temperature on adsorption of these metal ions has been investigated to identify the optimum conditions for maximum adsorption. The equilibrium time was found to be 50 min for Pb++ and 70 min for Ni++ adsorption. Adsorption starts at a low pH and increases steadily as the pH increases. The equilibrium adsorption data at temperatures of 25, 40 and 60°C were analyzed by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Although equilibrium adsorption data conforms to both the models, the best fit was obtained with the Langmuir isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters like equilibrium constant, enthalpy change, free energy change, and entropy change were calculated and discussed. The maximum adsorption capacity of sawdust for Pb++ and Ni++ were calculated from the Langmuir isotherms. The metal uptake was found to increase with increase in temperature. The positive values of ΔH o and negative values of ΔG o together indicate that the adsorption of Pb++ and Ni++ on sawdust of lam tree is endothermic and spontaneous in nature. The study demonstrated that the sawdust of lam tree can be effectively used as an adsorbent for the removal of metal ions from aqueous solutions.

Zusammenfassung

Untersucht wurde afrikanisches Cordia-Sägemehl (Cordia africana) als mögliches Adsorbens zur Entfernung von Blei- und Nickelionen aus wässrigen Lösungen. Da afrikanische Cordia Bäume in nahezu allen tropischen ost-, west, zentral- und südafrikanischen Ländern (United States Department of Agriculture, GRIN Maryland) wachsen, bietet es sich an, diese als leicht erhältliches, nachhaltig verfügbares und billiges Adsorbens zur Abwasseraufbereitung in diesem Teil der Welt zu verwenden, in dem die wachsende Industrialisierung sich wie überall auf der Welt auf die Wasserqualität auswirkt. Aus diesem Grund ist es sinnvoll, eine mögliche Verwendung von afrikanischem Cordia-Sägemehl als Adsorbens für die Entfernung von Blei- und Nickelionen aus wässrigen Lösungen zu untersuchen. Der Einfluss der Kontaktdauer, des pH-Werts, der Metallionenkonzentration und der Temperatur auf die Adsorption dieser Metallionen wurde untersucht, um die optimalen Bedingungen für eine maximale Adsorption zu ermitteln. Die Zeit bis zum Erreichen der Ausgleichskonzentration betrug bei der Adsorption von Pb++ 50 min und bei Ni++ 70 min. Die Adsorption beginnt bei einem niedrigen pH-Wert und nimmt mit zunehmendem pH-Wert stetig zu. Die Daten der Adsorption bei 25, 40 und 60°C wurden anhand der Langmuir und Freundlich Isothermenmodelle untersucht. Obwohl beide Modelle zur Beschreibung der Versuchswerte geeignet sind, wurde das beste Ergebnis mit dem Langmuir Ansatz erreicht. Thermodynamische Parameter wie zum Beispiel Gleichgewichtskonstante, Änderungen der Enthalpie, der freien Energie und der Entropie wurden berechnet und diskutiert. Die maximale Adsorptionskapazität von Sägemehl für Pb++ und Ni++ wurde anhand der Langmuir Isotherme berechnet. Es wurde gezeigt, dass die Metallaufnahme mit steigender Temperatur zunimmt. Die positiven ΔH o Werte und die negativen ΔG o Werte besagen, dass die Adsorption von Pb++ und Ni++ an afrikanisches Cordia-Sägemehl endothermischer und spontaner Natur ist. Die Studie zeigte, dass das afrikanische Cordia-Sägemehl effektiv als Adsorbens zur Entfernung von Metallionen aus wässrigen Lösungen verwendet werden kann.

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  1. University Science Instrumentation Centre, University of Kashmir, Srinagar-190006 (J&K), India

    Syed Muzaffar Ali Andrabi

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Andrabi, S.M.A. Sawdust of lam tree (Cordia africana) as a low-cost, sustainable and easily available adsorbent for the removal of toxic metals like Pb(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solution. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 69, 75–83 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-009-0398-x

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