Arsenic Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Carbon Embedded Silica and Zeolite: Column Adsorption Studies

Abstract

Column adsorption of the As (III) & As (V) using rice husk mediated carbon embedded silica (CES) and zeolite (Z-RHA) has been proved promising technique rather than the other conventional methods. The present work investigates the adsorption capability of newly manufactured CES and Z-RHA to remove As (III) & As (V) from aqueous solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis have been investigated for the characterization of synthesized materials. The effects of different parameters like initial concentrations, column diameter, column height, particle size distribution have been investigated. The maximum removal efficiency of CES adsorbents for As (III) is 98% and for As (V) is 85%, and of Z-RHA for As (III) is 95% and for As (V) is 92%. To describe the adsorption behavior the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models as well as to kinetics models like Adam-Bohart, Thomas, and Yoon Nelson model were applied. Finally, to dispose of the rice husk mediated adsorbents after arsenic treatment solidification has been done.