Kinetics Study on Removal of Cadmium from Wastewater

Haya Alyasi, Hamish R. Mackey, Gordon McKay

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal prevalent in the industry that frequently enters waterways through industrial effluents and stormwater runoff, posing a threat to the environment and human health. Strict water quality guidelines of 5 μg/L exist in the United States and European Union and adsorption provides an ideal treatment technology for reducing cadmium to these levels. This study utilizes nanochitosan, a natural polymer derived from seafood shell waste, as an effective cadmium adsorbent. The kinetics are studied through experimental batch tests and common kinetic models are examined to identify which is the most suitable for predicting the cadmium-nanochitosan adsorption rates by comparing the sum of the square errors and the correlation coefficient. The process is then optimized to minimize the contact time in a two-stage batch absorber system. It has been found that the Elovich kinetic model was the most suitable, followed closely by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The Elovich kinetic model is utilized to determine the minimum contact time necessary for a two-stage process at various initial and target cadmium concentrations with different adsorbent masses through optimization. A significant reduction in volume was found with the two-stage batch absorber compared to a one-stage process, which was accentuated when low discharge concentrations such as regulatory limits needed to be met.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationComputer Aided Chemical Engineering
PublisherElsevier B.V.
Pages397-402
Number of pages6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2020

Publication series

NameComputer Aided Chemical Engineering
Volume48
ISSN (Print)1570-7946

Keywords

  • cadmium removal
  • contact time minimization
  • equilibrium and kinetic studies
  • nanochitosan adsorbent

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