Continuous flow study of heavy metal removal from synthetic wastewater by using crushed brick

Abstract

These days, the search for alternative adsorbent that is cheaper, commercially available and efficient has become the priority of many researchers. Industrial activities like electroplating, aluminium conversion coating and operations of dyes and pigments contributed in generating of Cr (VI) in wastewater. Thus, it will give adverse impacts on both human and environments when are exposed to at above critical concentration. In this research study, clay brick from construction waste was studied as an adsorbent for Cr (VI) removal. The raw clay brick was chemically modified by using 0.1 M NaOH solution. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of bed depth and flowrate on the Cr (VI) adsorption and to evaluate Cr (VI) adsorption by using BDST and Thomas model. It was discovered that increased in bed depth resulted in higher removal efficiency and the rate of reaching breakthrough time was slower. Meanwhile, increased in flowrate resulted in lower removal efficiency and the rate of reaching breakthrough time was faster. The result indicated that the Thomas model fits the experimental data better than BDST model.