Adsorption characteristics of toxic chromium(VI) from aqueous media onto nanosized silver nanoparticles-treated activated carbon

ABSTRACT

The present study reports the use of nanomaterial, e.g. Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), immobilized activated carbon as an effective solid adsorbent for removal of toxic chromium(VI) from water. Chromium(VI) uptake was found favorable in acidic media at pH ≤ 3. Based on Langmuir model, monolayer adsorption capacities of chromium(VI) found equal 93.5 mg/g. The results fitted well with pseudo second-order and Langmuir models. The mechanism of adsorption was explored using the intra-particle diffusion model and the liquid-film model. Chromatographic separation of chromium(VI) was achieved. The AC-AgNPs was successfully recycled for five successive adsorption–desorption cycles indicating its high reusability.

KEYWORDS:

• Silver nanoparticles
• activated carbon
• chromium(VI)
• chromatographic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh, under grant No. (MS–35–51). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks KACST and the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Abdulaziz University for technical and financial support.