Adsorption Kinetics of Toxic Metals from Brewery Waste Water Using Adsorbent Prepared from Borassus aethiopum

A comparative study was carried out on the remediation of brewery effluent (Beff) using derived adsorbent (Untreated and treated) and commercial activated carbon. Preliminary study and characterization of the brewery effluent, derived adsorbent and commercial activated carbon was recorded, with result showing physico-chemical properties of the effluent falls within, lower and higher than discharge limit outlined by NESREA and WHO. Result of the physico-chemical and instrumental characterization of the adsorbents indicates that the adsorbents are within valid ranges as compared to literature. Column adsorption study was carried out to study the effect of experimental variables (pH, time and temperature), while RE% of Cd, Cr, Cu & Pb by the adsorbents were calculated and recorded for all experimental condition. These variables in the order of UAD, TAD & CAC were estimated, reported and percent removal at the optimal condition of 40.721mg/L, 2, 20 min and 313K for initial concentration, pH, time and temperature respectively. The equilibrium studies for the sorption of Cd, Cr, Cu & Pb were investigated using three widely used kinetic models (Pseudo first-order, Pseudo second-order and Elovich kinetic models), film and intraparticle mode of transport were studied. The rate law of the adsorption kinetics is best explained using the Pseudo-second order kinetic model, intraparticle diffusion model gave the highest regression coefficient (R2) for the adsorbents used, thermodynamic study was done using Van’t Holf models. The efficiency in remediation of effluent using derived adsorbents and commercial activated carbon at 95% confidence interval shows that there is statistical significant difference for UAD and CAC hence the need to follow the analysis with post-hoc test arose, while TAD indicated no level of statistical significant difference and thus requires no post-hoc test. This implied that the TAD is an economically viable approach to combat remediation challenges in the removal of Cd, Cr, and Cu & Pb from brewery waste water. Adsorbent characterization using FTIR and SEM gave results that justified the use of TAD in this study.