Kinetics study for the removal of heavy metals by the agroindustry by-products

Abstract

The heavy metals are very toxic and cause soil and water pollution. The heavy metals include cadmium, lead, zinc, arsenic, chromium, nickel, mercury, etc. There are physico-chemical methods for the removal of heavy of heavy metals from contaminated soils, aqueous solutions, waste water, etc. The biological method, i.e., bioadsorption is most easy, eco-friendly and economical method for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils, aqueous solutions, waste water, etc. The work here describes the kinetics study for the removal of heavy metals by the agroindustry by-products viz., peanut shell, corn cob, sawdust, paddy husk and pressmud. The Langmuir and Freundlich equations and constants were determined. The data shows the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models best fit the experimental data for the adsorption of heavy metals viz., Zn, Cd, Pb and Ni The study indicates second order pseudo kinetics is obeyed.