ADSORPTION OF FE (III) IONS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION BY BENGAL GRAM HUSK POWDER: EQUILIBRIUM ISOTHERMS AND KINETIC APPROACH

In this study, a series of batch laboratory experiments were conducted in order to investigate the feasibility of Bengal Gram Husk (BGH) for the removal of iron, Fe (III), from aqueous solution by the adsorption process. Investigation was carried out by studying the influence of initial solution pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration of iron. All batch experiments were carried out at a constant temperature of 25°C using wrist-action shaker that operated at 120 rpm. The single component equilibrium data was analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Temkin and Toth adsorption isotherms. The characteristic parameters for each isotherms and related correlation coefficients have been determined using MATLAB 7.1. The kinetic processes of iron adsorption on BGH were described by applying pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order rate equations. The kinetic data for the adsorption process obeyed pseudo-second-order rate equations. The BGH investigated in this study exhibited a high potential for the removal of iron from aqueous solution.