KINETIC STUDY OF THE USE OF PALM KERNEL SHELL CHARCOAL IN THE ADSORPTION OF CHROMIUM ION (Cr6+) FROM INDUSTRIAL WATER EFFLUENTS

Abstract

The widespread agricultural waste product palm kernel shell has been employed as a potentially inexpensive adsorbent to extract chromium from wastewater. KOH was investigated in the synthesis of activated carbon from palm kernel shells. Studies were conducted using variables such as carbon content, pH, temperature, agitation speed, concentration, and contact time. It was discovered that chromium adsorption efficiency is pH dependent, with 6.5 being the ideal value. Chitosan, a partially deacetylated polymer prepared under the influence of a strong alkaline solution from chitin enhanced the adsorption properties of the activated charcoal. This adsorption capacity of chromium is considered ably higher compared to the values obtained with other adsorbents (50 to 120 mg/g). After the adsorbent was saturated in the metal ions, it was regenerated with 0.1M NaOH. Maximum adsorption occurred within 5 bed volume, while complete adsorption occurred within 10 bed volumes. The use of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models for fitting the adsorption data is a standard practice. The study effectively demonstrates the potential of palm kernel shell charcoal as an adsorbent for chromium removal. These findings demonstrate that palm kernel shell activated carbon has the favorable characteristics needed for the adsorption of chromium ions from industrial wastewater.