THE COST ANALYSIS AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF AGRO WASTES TO ADSORB CHROMIUM (VI) FROM WASTEWATER

In the present study biodegradable agro and horticultural waste materials have not only been used to adsorb pollutant Cr (VI) from wastewater but it will help in the agro waste management also. Using agro waste materials to purify water for reuse indicates indirect social welfare for the organization which is not directly measured. Low cost sorbent used by tanneries, electroplating industries and other metal finishing industries that release Cr (VI) in effluent wastewater joining natural streams it is sure that these industries will control this pollution at the source itself. So the Cr (VI) removal comparatively at a low cost will be the financial benefit to such type of industries. This benefit will certainly lower the overall costing of the process and products as well. First time an attempt has been made to estimate the cost of adsorption while studying economic feasibility of various agricultural and horticultural wastes like pea (Pisum sativum) pod peels, tea (Camellia sinensis) & ginger (Zingiber officinale) mix and banana (Musa lacatan) peels to adsorb Cr (VI) from wastewater. The removal cost of 1g of Cr (VI) from wastewater using these adsorbents like; Pea Pod Peels, Tea & Ginger mix and Banana peels Waste were estimated as Rs. 9.14, Rs. 4.71, Rs. 3.11 respectively. The findings indicate that the cost of using these agro wastes as adsorbents is lesser than that of commercial activated carbon which is Rs. 142.145.The developed adsorbents were prepared from agricultural wastes which undoubtedly require proper waste management. Adsorbents pea pod peels waste; tea & ginger waste and banana peels waste the positive enthalpy ΔH values 1.089, 1.627 and 1.494 respectively showed the endothermic sorption and the strong binding, the positive free energy change ΔG; 1.31632, 1.946 and 1.752 showed the random feasibility. Adhering, fixing adsorbate on the interface between two phases result in loss of the degree of freedom showing a negative entropy (ΔS) for pea pod peels waste (-0.0126 and tea & ginger waste (- 0.0055) whereas positive 0.0107 for banana peels waste