Removal of heavy metals through adsorption using sand

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Awan, M. Ali | Qazi, Ishtiaq A. | Khalid, Imran

Affiliations: Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE), National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Rawalpindi, Pakistan | Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract: The removal of four heavy metals i.e. Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn from their aqueous solutions, using ordinary sand as an adsorbent, was studied at 20°C. The amount of metal adsorbed to form monolayer on sand (a_m), obtained from Langmuir isotherm, exhibited the preference of metals for sand in the order Pb>Cr>Cu>Zn. The heavy metal-sand adsorption phenomena can be illustrated on the basis of the interaction between surface functional group of silicates (sand) and the metal ions. It is deduced that sand can be used as a low cost adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal from wastewater (containing low conc. of metals), especially in the developing countries.

Keywords: sand, heavy metals, adsorption

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 413-416, 2003