Abstract
The present manuscript reports the removal of arsenic from aqueous solution using iron oxide composite of carbon derived from the plant material Prosopis spicigera L. wood which depletes the ground water of ponds, lakes and other water bodies. The adsorbent was characterised by Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope for surface analysis; Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and methylene blue method for surface area determination and pHzpc for surface charge determination. Experimental conditions such as pH, contact time, adsorbate initial concentration and in the presence other ions are varied to study the batch adsorption equilibrium experiment. The adsorption process was tested with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model and Langmuir isotherm was best suited. Sorption kinetics was analysed with pseudo-first- and second-order kinetics but adsorption follows second order kinetics. For an initial concentration of 60 mg/L of As(III) ions, adsorption capacity was found to be 83.84 mg/g at pH = 6.0. Thermodynamically the adsorption process is spontaneous, feasible and endothermic in nature. Adsorption involves pore diffusion, external mass transfer and complex formation. Column study was performed to apply this process for large scale treatment.
Iron oxide-modified nanoporous geopolymers for arsenic removal from ground water