Adsorption of Hexavalent Chromium onto Activated Carbon

Background: Hexavalent chromium is a well established carcinogenic and mutagenic contaminant, frequently cause to come into the surroundings through various related study of origins and development of human activities. Among a variety of approaches, adsorption of toxicant hexavalent chromium by activated carbon is measured to be a feasible option to remediate Cr (VI) contagion, from ground and water beds, effusing from mopes of chromite quarry and mine waste. Methods: In this present lesson, removal of Cr (VI) via adsorption on activated carbon was investigated. The studies were conducted by varying different parametric quantity such as initial pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature. Experimental studies found that under optimized condition, the activated carbon is able to remove 99% of Cr (VI) with initial concentration of 10 mg/L in 6 hr, at pH- 6 and temperature-30°C. Results: The result suggests that the rate of adsorption is highly influenced by the process parameters. The percentage of adsorption increases with increase in adsorbent dose (1.5 gm). In the initial stages the rate of Cr (VI) adsorption was high, then gradually decreases and remained constant. At pH 6 effectiveness of adsorption of activated carbon was found to be highest. With increase in temperature the adsorption increased i.e. at 30°C almost 95% Cr (VI) was adsorbed. The optimal parameter for chromium uptake was dependent on chromium concentration, absorbent dose-1.5 gm, pH -6, temperature-30°C, contact time-6 hr. The maximum efficiencies of chromium removal were found 99% with all above optimized parameters using activated carbon. Conclusion: The current investigation reports the removal of Cr (VI) from an aquatic system through adsorption on to activated carbon equipped from coconut shells with a maximum removal efficiency of 99% within 6 hours. Thus activated carbon prepared from coconut shell can perform as a noble adsorbent for the adsorption of chromium from industrial effluents.