REMOVAL OF COPPER FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION USING GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG AS ADSORBENT

This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in removing copper from aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption studies were done to optimize conditions for the removal of copper. Factors affecting adsorption such as pH, GGBS dosage, contact time, copper concentration and temperature were determined. The kinetics and isotherm models were studied for the obtained data. It was found that removal efficiency increased with the GGBS dosage and the optimum dose was 2.5g/L. The removal was increased to 90% when the pH of the solution was 5 and contact time of 120 minutes The results revealed that adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous in nature.