REMOVAL OF POLLUTION LOAD FROM TANNERY EFFLUENT BY USING BANYAN SAWDUST (FICUS BENGALENSIS) AS AN ADSORBENT

This research deals with the reduction of Chromium and other pollutants like Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Solid (TS), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) and Conductivity from the tannery effluent. The effect of several parameters including contact time, pH value and adsorbent dosages. From the experiment results, it was found that Chromium ions concentration in tannery effluent was reduced to the level of 61mg/l, COD was removed 28mg/l, TS reduction was found to be at level of 282mg/l, TDS removed was at level of 316mg/l and Conductivity increased was 9.40mS to 18.1mS. The extent of adsorption was studied as a function of PH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and initial adsorbed concentration. Optimum results were found to be 90 minutes, 2, and 6g/l for time contact, PH, and adsorbent dose respectively. Thus it has been proved that the Banyan Sawdust can be used as an adsorbent for the adsorption of various pollutants from tannery effluent..