COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ACHYRANTHUS ASPERA AND PHYLLANTHUS AMARUS FOR THE REMOVAL OF LEAD FROM POLLUTED WATER BY USING THEIR BIOSORBENTS POWDER

Lead metal is highly inert metal used widely because of its mechanical properties like high density, low melting point and ductility. Half of the lead produced is used as electrodes in lead acid car batteries, construction of buildings and pipes. Lead is poisonous to human beings if inhaled or swallowed. Achyranthus aspera and Phyllanthus amarus both the plants are widely available as weeds and they have excellent medicinal values. These plants are extensively used in folk, Ayurveda and Unani medicines. The leaves, stems, fruits, flowers and seeds cut from both the plants were washed with distilled water and dried in sun light. The dried materials were crushed and meshed to reduce the size of the particles below75μ and activated at 1000 C using hot air oven. At pH 6, at the period of 7 days with maximum adsorbent dose seed ash and dry powders of P.amarus plant shown highest adsorption of lead 88.54% and 86.75% respectively. At the same conditions A.aspera's flowers ash and dry powders has shown 84.69% and 80.61% of lead adsorption from polluted water. The Bio sorbent powders are structurally analyzed with FT-IR spectroscopy before and after adsorption