Heavy Metal Removal Efficiency of Paper Mulberry Biochar and Commercially Available Silica Powder from Simulated Industrial Wastewater

Paper mulberry bio-char produced was characterized and evaluated for heavy metals removal from simulated industrial wastewater in compare to silica powder. The batch adsorption study was conducted under different conditions like, the effects of solution pH, contact time and temperature. The paper mulberry bio-char (PMB) was more effective and exhibited a higher adsorption potential for cadmium, copper, chromium, lead and zinc than commercially available silica powder. Experiments conducted with an initial metal concentration of 50 mg/l at pH 2, 4, 8, 12. Maximum removal of cadmium, copper, chromium, lead and zinc by PMB was higher than silica powder. Contact time of 2, 3, 4 h showed maximum removal of cadmium, copper, chromium, lead and zinc removal for PMB and was found higher than that of silica powder. The thermodynamic parameters such as G°, H° and S° were calculated for predicting the nature of sorption. The results showed that plant-residue bio-char can act as effective alternative sorbent instead of silica powder for the removal of heavy metal ions from industrial wastewater.