REMOVAL OF HEAVY METAL CU (II) FROM AQUEOUS WASTE USING PARTHENIUM HYSTEROPHORUS (WHITE TOP WEED) - A LOW COST ADSORBENT

Abstract

In this study Activated carbon prepared from parthenium hysterophorous was used to remove Cu(II) ions from
aqueous solution. The adsorbents included sulphuric acid treated Parthenium. The effects of adsorbent initial pH,
initial adsorbent concentration, temperature and contact
time on metal ion removal have been determined. Aqueous solutions of various concentrations (10-50 mg/L) were
shaken with certain amount of adsorbent to determine the adsorption capacity. Maximum removal was sequestered
from the solutions within 150 min after the beginning of all experiments. Adsorption depends on solution pH , Cu(II)
concentration and contact time. Adsorption follows both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The efficiency
of adsorption was found to be 80%. The optimum pH and temperature was found to be 6 and 30±2℃ respectively.
Removal of Cu(II) ions using activated carbon is found to be favourable and hence it could be used as an
adsorbent for the treatment of effluents. The results showed that sulphuric acid treated Parthenium can be
considered as potential adsorbents for cu (II) removal from dilute aqueous solutions.