Adsorption capability of annona reticulata seeds for heavy metals removal batch and column studies

Abstract

Water is an essential source for the presence of life on the earth. The water quality has seriously affected due to increase in population, human activities, fast industrialization, unskilled utilization of natural water resources and unplanned urbanization. The primary sources of water pollution due to the natural activities (agricultural runoff) and human activities (discharge of untreated sanitary and industrial wastewater). Heavy metal is a group of metal and metalloids with density higher than the 4000 kg/m3. The heavy metals are toxic in nature and causes serious health issues to human beings and animals, even at very low concentration. These heavy metals enter into the aquatic system through the agricultural runoff and industrial discharge. Hence, it is important to develop robust, eco-friendly and economically viable treatment methods for the removal of heavy metals from the aquatic system and to safeguard the environment. Several treatment methods are available to remove heavy metals from the aquatic environment with a different degree of success. In any case, the deficiencies of a large portion of these treatment methods are due to the production of secondary waste, entangled methods engaged with the treatment, high cost for operation and maintenance. Relatively, adsorption technique is viewed as a superior option in water and wastewater treatment due to the simple design, easy operation and flexibility in operation. The most commonly used adsorbent is activated carbon but its widespread application is limited due to the high cost of the material and also other problems like poor regeneration ability of the adsorbent and its disposal at the end. The variety of low-cost adsorbents have been experimented by many researchers but it fails to provide a higher adsorption capacity and good regeneration ability newline