Adsorptive removal of 2, 4, 6-trichloro-phenol from wastewater by mango seed shell and its magnetic composites: batch and column study

ABSTRACT

Fe⁺³- and Fe⁺²-enriched magnetic composites were prepared using mango seed shell-based biomass (MSS-biomass) and characterised by SEM, FTIR and TGA. Magnetic property employed best for the adsorption of 2, 4, 6 trichloro-phenol from wastewater. The performance of magnetic composites along native biomass was investigated in batch mode. Optimum values of parameters that were found from batch experiments are pH5, temperature, 35°C (BN) and 55°C (BMc), adsorbent dose 0.05 g, concentration of pollutants 35 mg/L and contact time 120 min. Doubinin-Radushkevich and Langmuir isotherms found best-fitted on experimental data with correlation values (R² 0.938 and 0.986) for MSS andBMc, respectively, along other four equilibrium models, kinetic study revealed pseudo-second-order kinetic model as best-fitted one on the experimental data of both adsorbents. Similarly, thermodynamic parameters were also calculated from experimental results. Efficiency of adsorbents in the presence of heavy metal ions and electrolytes was examined at optimum experimental conditions. Reliability and re-usability of magnetic composites in comparison with the native MSS-biomass were investigated in desorption experiments. About 68% and 81% of 2,4,6-TCP was recovered from BN and BMc respectively. Magnetic composites found more efficient (with q_e 31.27 mg/g) as compared to MSS-biomass (with q_e 23.55 mg/g) for the adsorption of 2,4,6-TCP from wastewater. Column study experiments were performed to check out the working of magnetic composites at pilot scale. Maximum uptake of 2,4,6-TCP were obtained as 16.65 mg/g onto 3-cm bed-height of adsorbent. Experimental data were also analysed by column study models; BDST and Thomas to compare the calculated and experimented values.

KEYWORDS:

• Adsorption
• biomass
• magnetic composites
• trichlorophenol

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful the Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and the HOD for constant encouragement and providing all necessary research facilities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).