High efficiency removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants from brassware using raw coal: Kinetic adsorption and optimized process

Abstract

This paper investigates the efficiency in organic matter and heavy metals removal from a synthetic brassware effluent using a natural adsorbent applied for the first time. raw coal used in continuous adsorption experiments was collected from the Jrada region (Morocco). Several analytical methods were adopted to evaluate material adsorption properties before and after the treatment of the effluent, including Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray, X-ray Diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. During the experimental part of this study, the adsorption kinetics carried to evaluate the performance of the test column has been investigated with optimization of operating parameters namely granular size, flow rate and column height. Finally, the selected parameters were used to evaluate the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal abilities. The results obtained show that the fixed column using a granulometry of 40 µm, a flow rate of 3 mL/min and a bed height of 18 cm provides a competitive performance, against both, organic matter and heavy metals. And the removal rates reached are 86 % of COD, 69 % of sulfate and 100 % of the most dominant heavy metals in brassware effluent; particularly Nickel, Silver and Copper.

Keywords

• Continuous adsorption
• Heavy metals
• Optimization
• Organic matter
• Raw coal
• Synthetic effluent of brassware