Design parameters for fixed bed reactors of activated carbon developed from fertilizer waste for the removal of some heavy metal ions

Activated carbon, developed from fertilizer waste, has been used for the removal of Hg2+, Cr6+, Pb2+, and Cu2+. Mass transfer kinetic approach has been successfully applied for the determination of various parameters necessary for designing a fixed-bed absorber. Parameters selected are the length of the (PAZ) primary adsorption zone (δ), total time involved for the establishment of primary adsorption zone (tx), mass rate of flow to the absorber (Fm), time for primary adsorption zone to move down its length (tδ), amount of adsorbate adsorbed in PAZ from breakpoint to exhaustion (Ms), fractional capacity (f), time of initial formation of PAZ (tf) and per cent saturation of column at break point. Chemical regeneration has been achieved with 1 M HNO3.