Title: Removal of colour from hospital wastewater with activated nanobiocarbon derived from the pit of the Olea woodiana (forest olive): kinetics and isotherms study

Authors: Hanie Ahmadpour Kacho; Hosseinali Asghar Nia; Pezhman Farhadi

Addresses: Department of Engineering, Islamic Azad University of Ayatollah Amoli, Amol, Iran ' Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran ' Department of Engineering, Islamic Azad University of Ayatollah Amoli, Amol, Iran

Abstract: One of the most effective technologies for the coloured wastewater treatment is the use of biosorbents. The surface adsorption process is preferable to other methods for reasons such as low cost, the ability to perform more easily and insensitivity to toxic substances. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the kinetics, isotherms and parameters affecting the decolourisation of hospital wastewater using activated nanobiocarbon derived from the pit of the forest olives. This experimental and in-vitro study evaluated the parameters such as initial colour concentration, adsorbent dose, contact time, pH, temperature, and isotherm and kinetics analysis in a Batch system and morphology characteristics of the adsorption was investigated using FESEM technique. The results of this study showed the efficiency of removal of 99% colour from effluents with adsorbent dose of 0.5 G, pH = 7 and temperature of 35°C. The adsorption process of colour from wastewater was based on the models of Freundlich (R² = 0.991) and Langmuir (R² = 0.97) isotherms and pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² = 0.94). Also, the analysis of FESEM micrographs related to the surface of synthesised activated nanobiocarbon indicated 10-nanometre nanopores and a fairly uniform distribution.

Keywords: activated nanobiocarbon; wastewater; colour; adsorption.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2020.108817

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2020 Vol.26 No.2, pp.245 - 258

Received: 17 Sep 2018
Accepted: 04 Jun 2019
Published online: 04 Aug 2020 *

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