Removal of Copper and Cadmium from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption on Coconut Coir Carbon

concentration of heavy metals from wastewater. Commercial activated carbon is
expensive in manufacturing and regenerating. In this study. activated carbon
prepared from coconut coir is investigated by observing its efficiency to adsorb
copper and cadmium from aqueous solution. Using the batch adsorption technique.
parameters such as contact time, pH, carbon dose and concentration of metal in
solution on removal was studied. The characteristic of the prepared coconut coir
activated carbon was analyzed by measuring its pH, apparent density, moisture
content and ash content. The adsorption data for both coconut coir activated carbon
and commercially activated carbon (F -400) were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich
isotherm models. From the batch studies conducted, higher adsorption was seen for
the lower initial concentration of copper and cadmium ion. The percentage of ion
removal also increased with increasing contact time. The effect of pi I and carbon
dose also was been studied. The uptake of metal ion is lower in acidic condition and
increases with increasing pH. As the carbon dose increases. the percentage of metal
removal also increases. Comparing the characteristics of coconut coir activated
carbon with coconut coir pith activated carbon (Santhy and Selvapathy. 2004). pH of
both carbons is almost the same. Yet the prepared coconut coir activated carbon has
higher ash content and is heavier compared to coconut coir pith activated carbon.
From the adsorption isotherm, it is seen that the coconut coir activated carbon has
higher adsorption capacity compared to F-400. Yet, F-400 has higher adsorption rate
compared to coconut coir activated carbon.