A Comparative Study on Removal of Toxic Mercury and Chromium Using Synthesized Inorganic Complex (WOx-EDA) and Compound (AA) Through a Batch Adsorption Process

Abstract

Toxic metals ions are well known undesirable pollutant in drinking water. Since they are barely biodegradable and can be accumulated in human body through the food chain to induce a severe threat to human health; it is of great importance to develop low cost, safe and highly effective adsorbents for the adsorptive removal of those toxic metals. Synthesis and Characterization of Inorganic–organic hybrid Tungsten oxide-ethylenediamine (WOx–EDA) nanowires have been carried out by a simple, low-cost and high-yield solvo-thermal method. Activated Alumina was also synthesized using direct method. Both Tungsten Oxide ethylenediamine and Activated Alumina (AA) were characterized using, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The synthesized inorganic adsorbents adsorption capacities for removing mercury and chromium were investigated using batch adsorption process. The equilibrium data were applied to various sorption kinectic models. The adsorbents adsorptive capabilities were compared. The adsorbents displayed exceptional adsorptive properties; however, WOx-EDA proved to be better adsorbent than activated alumina in terms of removal efficiency. This could be linked to hybrid structure integrated in the functionality of ethylenediamine with the stability of the WOx frameworks. The nanowire morphology and abundant functional amino groups possibly endowed the complex with versatile abilities and highly adsorptive properties.

Keywords: Adsorption, Toxic, alumina, Tungsten Oxide Ethylenediamine, Kinetic.

DOI: 10.7176/CMR/11-5-03

Publication date:May 31^st 2019