Study of Cr (III) biosorption in a fixed-bed column

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Chromium (III) is a toxic heavy metal pollutant found in industrial wastewater.
• Conventional treatment methods for chromium removal can be costly and inefficient.
• Developing sustainable and low-cost biosorbents is crucial for effective wastewater remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of olive stone as a biosorbent for chromium (III) removal from aqueous solutions.
• To investigate the influence of operational parameters on the biosorption process in a continuous flow system.
• To model the breakthrough curve using established kinetic models.

Main Methods:

• Fixed-bed column experiments were conducted to assess chromium (III) removal using olive stone.
• Parameters such as flow rate, bed depth, and inlet chromium concentration were varied.
• Breakthrough curve data were analyzed using Adams-Bohart, Thomas, Yoon and Nelson, and Dose-Response models.
• pH evolution during the biosorption process was monitored.

Main Results:

• Breakthrough and saturation times increased with decreased flow rate and increased bed depth.
• Olive stone sorption capacity increased with inlet chromium (III) concentration up to 0.800 mg/g.
• The Adams-Bohart and Dose-Response models provided satisfactory predictions of the breakthrough curve.
• The Dose-Response model best represented the entire breakthrough curve across various concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Olive stone is a viable, low-cost biosorbent for chromium (III) removal in a continuous system.
• Operational parameters significantly impact the efficiency and kinetics of the biosorption process.
• Mathematical modeling aids in understanding and predicting the performance of olive stone biosorbents for wastewater treatment.