Adsorption kinetics for arsenic removal from aqueous solutions by untreated powdered eggshell

The batch removal of arsenic from aqueous solution using low-cost adsorbent (powdered eggshell) under the influences of initial arsenic ion concentrations (0.50 to 1.50 mg/L), pH (3.2 to 11.5) and particle size of eggshells (63 to 150 μm) were investigated. Eggshells were collected from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, washed with distilled water, air dried, ground into powder and sieved into different sieve sizes using British standard sieve. Powdered eggshells were stored in a desiccator for use. Adsorption isotherms and dynamics of arsenic onto PES were studied. The study revealed that there was a slight reduction in the rate of adsorption of arsenic ion onto the larger particle size, but adsorption capacity and parameters were unaffected. Powdered eggshell with particle size of 63 μm removed up to 99.6% of the 1.5 mg/L of arsenic ion in synthetic water within the first 6 hours but decreased to 98.4% and 97.4% when the powdered eggshell particle sizes were increased to 75 and 150 μm respectively. The pH optimum for arsenic removal was 7.2. The adsorption isotherms and adsorption dynamic kinetic studied through the use of graphical method revealed that Freundlich, activated sludge adsorption and pseudo second-order kinetic models correlate significantly with the experimental data with correlation coefficient of not less than 0.964.