|
Utilization of maize (Zea
mays) cob as an adsorbent for lead (II) removal from
aqueous solutions and industrial effluents
Opeolu, B.O.1, Bamgbose, O.2,
Arowolo, T.A.2 and Adetunji, M.T.3
1Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula
University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.
2Department
of Environmental Management and Toxicology, University of
Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
3Department
of Soil Science and Land Management, University of
Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
opeolubt@yahoo.com
or opeulab@cput.ac.za.
Tel.: +27 730365373.
Accepted
25 February, 2009 |
|
Maize cob was used as an adsorbent in order to evaluate its
potential for the removal of lead from aqueous solutions and
effluents from battery and paint industries with Dowex
(synthetic resin) as control. Experimental data were
analyzed in terms of Freundlich isotherm model. Equilibrium
was attained at 2 h and adsorption rate constants for maize
cob and dowex were 7.26 x 10-2 and 7.58 x 10-2
min-1, respectively. Equilibrium pH value was 6;
shaking at 150 rpm enhanced adsorption with maximum
adsorption by both adsorbents in battery and paint
effluents. Optimal weight at equilibrium for the adsorbents
in Pb2+ solution was 16 mg/L of solution. Pb2+
removal by maize cob from battery effluent was 99.99% while
it was 47.38% for Dowex. Corresponding values from paint
effluents were 66.16 and 27.83%. The study concludes that
maize cob has great potentials to remove Pb2+
from industrial effluents.
Key
words:
Adsorption, lead, maize cob, wastewaters. |
