Optimization study of biosorption of toxic metals from mining wastewater using Azadirachta indica bark adsorbents

The effectiveness of two Azadirachta indica bark activated carbons (ABAC) for the removal of selected toxic metals from mining wastewater and the attendant challenge of multivariate factors in the process were enhanced through optimization studies. Experimental design was carried out using adsorbent dosage, agitation rate, contact time, grain size, pH and temperature as independent variables. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted using the experimental design result, then the experimental data obtained were optimized using Design-Expert software and the results validated. Optimum values for ABAC-NaOH adsorbent were 1.999 g of adsorbent dosage, 149.73 rpm agitation rate, 119.55 min contact time, 2 mm grain size, pH of 7 and 30 °C temperature; while for ABAC-HCl adsorbent the optimum values were 3.993 g of adsorbent dosage, 150 rpm agitation rate, 120 min contact time, 2 mm grain size, pH of 7.001 and 30 °C temperature. These resulted in 100% removal efficiencies for all the selected toxic metals with standard errors of between 0.02 and 2.72%. So the optimization process is a very useful tool in adsorption studies. It has the merits of being economical, energy and time saving, and is therefore strongly recommended for the biosorption of toxic metals from mining wastewater using Azadirachta indica adsorbent.