Abstract

Factorial Analyses, Equilibrium Studies, Kinetics and Thermodynamics of the Removal of Suspended Particles From an Industrial Effluent on Coal Based Activated Carbon

Author(s): J. U. Ani, N. J. Nnaji, C. O. B. Okoye and O. D. Onukwuli

Batch adsorption has been used to study the adsorption performance of coal based activated carbon (COBAC) in a fibre-cement effluent (FCE) at room temperature and pH of 12. This paper demonstrates the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher’s least significant difference statistics in the determination of the adsorption performance of COBAC at varying time and various dosages. Increasing COBAC dosage and adsorption time respectively, had high significant differences on the adsorption performance of COBAC. In addition, time/dosage interactions had significant difference on COBAC adsorption performance. Adsorption dynamics studies show that ‘animekus’ expression for pseudo second order kinetic model gave the best predicted adsorption capacity values and as such, favours chemisorption mechanism. Thermodynamic studies reveal effective adsorption of suspended solids onto COBAC. Equilibrium studies revealed that adsorption data of suspended particles onto COBAC followed Langmuir pattern reaffirming chemisorption adsorption mechanism.