Evaluation of Removal of Mercury (II) Using Bicarbonate Washed Cyprus Rotundus Carbon

Abstract

Pyrolysis, chloride, carbonate, sulphate and acid process were used to prepare activated carbon which was prepared from the roots of Cyprus rotundus plants. The above activated carbon’s Hg (II) removing capacity was found out by carrying out experiments. The above set of experiments were also done with commercially activated carbon and its ability for Hg (II) removal was also found. The results from the about experiments were tabulated and compared. By using different parameters like pH, carbon dosage and concentration, the above set of experiments were carried out and tabulated. Equilibrium isotherms were found using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and plotting graphs. The adsorption ability of carbon activated from the above processes were found out using Langmuir adsorption isotherms. The values were found to be 80.123 mg/g, 98.245 for Bicarbonate washed Cyprus rotundus Carbon (BCRC) using distilled and tap water respectively. For Commercially activated carbon, the data was found to be 218.162 mg/g and 53.24 mg/g for Carbon activated Commercially (CAC) using distilled and tap water respectively. In the above set of experiments the R2 values found using both the isotherms are in (CAC) in distilled water and tap water respectively. It was found that the R 2 values obtained for both the isotherms are in good agreement. The above experiment can be used to determine the adsorbing ability of Bicarbonate washed Cyprus rotundus carbon and commercially activated carbon. The above experiment follows pseudo first order kinetics. From the above experiment, it is evident that Hg (II) obtained from industrial effluents can be effectively removed using Bicarbonate washed Cyprus rotundus carbon.