A study of the removal characteristics of heavy metals from wastewater by low-cost adsorbents

In this study, the adsorption behavior of some low-cost adsorbents such as peanut husk charcoal, fly ash, and natural zeolite, with respect to Cu2+, and Zn2+ ions, has been studied in order to consider its application to the purification of metal finishing wastewater. The batch method was employed: parameters such as pH, contact time, and initial metal concentration were studied. The influence of the pH of the metal ion solutions on the uptake levels of the metal ions by the different adsorbents used were carried out between pH 4 and pH 11. The optimum pH for copper and zinc removal was 6 in the case of peanut husk charcoal and natural zeolite, and it was 8 in case of fly ash. An equilibrium time of 2 h was required for the adsorption of Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions onto peanut husk charcoal and fly ash and an equilibrium time 3 h was required for the adsorption of Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions onto natural zeolite. Adsorption parameters were determined using both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, but the experimental data were better fitted to the Langmuir equation than to Freundlich equation. The results showed that peanut husk charcoal, fly ash and natural zeolite all hold potential to remove cationic heavy metal species from industrial wastewater in the order fly ash < peanut husk charcoal < natural zeolite.