Removal of Hexavalent Chromium from Aqueous Solution by Modified Holly Sawdust: A Study of Equilibrium and Kinetics

Introduction & Objective: Industrial wastewaters including heavy metals, are among the important sources of environmental pollution. Heavy metals such as chromium are found in plating wastewater and is harmful for human health and environment. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the absorption of heavy metals such as chromium onto modified holly sawdust as an cheaper absorbent. Materials & Methods: This study was a fundamental- application study done in Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, hygiene faculty water and wastewater chemistry laboratory. This study investigated the removal of hexavalent chromium by using modified holly sawdust with pH changes ,contact time ,absorbent dose and Cr(VI) concentrations in batch system. Then the result was analyzed by Excel software. Result: The results showed that the removal efficiency decrease is accompanied by the increase of pH and initial chromium concentration. pH increase from 2 to 12(equilibrium time= 180 min, adsorbent dose= 0.6g/100CC, Cr(VI) concentrations= 60 mg/L), leaded to the removal efficiency decrease from 99.67 % to 29.78 %. Also removal efficiency decreased from 99.37 % to 40.24 % after increasing the initial chromium concentrations from 20 mg/L to 100 mg/L. Moreover the results showed the removal efficiency increased after increasing the adsorbent dose and contact time. By increasing adsorbent dose from 0.2 g/100CC to 1 g/100CC, the removal efficiency increased from 34.65 % to 99.76 %.Additionally, the removal efficiency increased from 48.53% to 99.76% by increasing contact time from 5 mins to 180 mins. Experimental isotherms and kinetics models were assessed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics models. The results showed that the data were acceptably explained acceptably by Langmuir isotherms and pseudo-second-order kinetics models respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that the removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution using sawdust was more cost effective and efficient.