Removal of Copper and Zinc from Aqueous Solutions by Using Low Cost Adsorbents

As the current global trend towards more stringent environmental norms, technical application, and cost effectiveness became key factors in the selections of adsorbents for water and waste water treatment. Recently, various low cost adsorbents derived from agricultural material, industrial waste material and by products or natural materials, have been intensively investigated. So the development of value added by products from waste material is to be welcomed. In the present work, the potential of using papaya seeds and eggshell powder as a sorbent for removal of Copper and Zinc from aqueous solution is investigated. Calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and calcium phosphate are the main constituents of eggshell powder, which have good adsorption capacity. A batch scale experiment for different amount of adsorbents in different concentrations of both metals in mixed combination is carried out. The sorption characteristic of the sorbent will be studied under various experimental conditions, such as pH, contact time, adsorption dose and concentration of Copper and Zinc. The optimum pH for maximum uptake of Copper and Zinc was at pH 6. Results indicate that removal efficiency for Copper and Zinc is about 99 % using eggshell powder and 95 % using Papaya seeds powder.