Removal of Carbofuran Pesticide from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption onto Animal Bone Meal as New Low Cost Adsorbent

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the Carbofuran pesticide adsorption from aqueous solution using animal bone meal as an alternative low cost adsorbent. The effects of various experimental factors; adsorbent dose, initial Carbofuran concentration, contact time, solution pH and particle size of adsorbent were studied by using the batch technique. The results showed that Carbofuran adsorption equilibrium was rapidly attained after 70 min of contact time. A maximum of 98.3% removal of the Carbofuran pesticide was observed by 25 mg of Animal Bone Meal (ABM). Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied for the analysis of equilibrium adsorption data obtained. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was 18.5 mg/g. The characteristic results; dimensionless separation factor, R L , and the adsorption intensity, n, showed that animal bone meal can be employed as an alternative to commercial adsorbents in the removal of Carbofuran pesticide from aqueous solution.

Keywords: Animal Bone Meal, Carbofuran, Adsorption Isotherms, Water treatment.