Removal of copper from aqueous solution by chitosan in prawn shell: adsorption equilibrium and kinetics

The metal removal capability of prawn shell is evaluated in this study using copper as a model sorbate. A mild deacetylation method was used to convert chitin on the periphery of the shell to chitosan. The equilibrium and kinetic characteristics of copper adsorption on partially deacetylated prawn shell are studied in batch stirred-tank experiments. The extent of copper removal increases with an increase in pH. Both the Langmuir model with pH-dependent parameters and the extended Langmuir-Freundlich model with pH-independent parameters account very well for the measured equilibrium data. Modeling studies using two different second order surface reaction models demonstrate that transient profiles obtained experimentally for a range of initial metal concentrations (C0) and adsorbent dosage are in good agreement with calculated curves of both models. The two rate models can be used for an accurate description of measured kinetic data so long as their rate constants are properly correlated with the two system variables. In contrast, deviation exists between experimental data and theoretical curves calculated from a diffusion-based model.