Comparative study of activated carbon derived from agricultural biomass for remediation of Chromium contaminated groundwater
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Date
2021-02
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Groundwater contamination is a vital challenge for 21st century as most of agricultural and industrial contamination generally percolate into subsurface. In the present study, activated carbon derived from agricultural and forestry biomass has been used to remediate chromium contaminated water. For the same, batch and Fix-Bed column experiments was conducted. Four different types of activated carbon namely; Rice husk activated carbon, Pine needle activated carbon, Rice straw activated carbon and Maize residue activated carbon were prepared from rice husk, pine needle, rice straw and maize residue biomass. Agricultural biomass was collected from agricultural and forestry waste of Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, India. Activated carbon from these biomasses was extracted by chemical activation with H3PO4 impregnation (1:2) at 600oC for 30 minutes. Biochar and activated carbons were characterized by proximate analysis and FTIR analysis. Batch and Fixed-Bed Column sorption were carried out to investigate the potential of Cr (VI) adsorption on the surface of different type of activated carbon. Adsorption study has been conducted by fixing activated carbon dosage (1g/l), pH value (4 to 5) of Cr (VI) aqueous solution and variables such as initial concentration (50 mg/l, 100 mg/l, 150 mg/l), contact time and bed height (1cm, 0.5 cm, 0.25 cm) were varied. Effect of variable has been observed on Cr (VI) adsorption efficiency of activated carbon. Results divulged that among the all biomass, rice husk has maximum production yield of activated carbon followed by rice straw and pine needle. The production yield of activated carbon ranges from 33.7% to 46.25%. Further, highest percentage (64.9%)
of fixed carbon was obtained for maize residue activated carbon. Adsorption results divulged that maximum Cr (VI) adsorption efficiency (76.218%) and adsorption capacity (106.58 mg/g) were achieved with maize residue activated carbon within 120 minutes. The efficiency of adsorption increased with an increase in contact time and decreased with an increase in initial Cr (VI) aqueous sample concentration. Pine needle activated carbon was used in Fixbed column study and highest 38.96% of initial concentration (50 mg/l Cr (VI)) has been removed using 1 cm bed height.