Adsorption of Heavy Metal in Waste Water by NaClO2 Treated Kapok Fiber

Heavy metal pollution in water is an important issue of water pollution. Heavy metal pollution not only influences the quality of the water body, but also affects the production and quality of the crops and aquatic products, and threatens the health and life of animals and human beings through the food chain. Due to harmful effects of heavy metal ions pollution in water, there is a pressing need to find efficient methods to combat this kind of pollution. Kapok fiber, or scientifically named as Ceiba Pentandra (L.) Gaertn is a natural hollow fiber with thin shell and large cavity, has rarely been used as adsorbent for heavy metal ions. Kapok fiber is a naturally renewable material with large lumen and hydrophobic characteristics, which enables it to show good oil sorption capacity. This research project evaluates and compares the performance of different type kapok fibers in application of removing heavy metals. To further improve the efficiency for adsorption, in this study, kapok fiber was treated with the solvent of Sodium Chlorite (NaClO2). The structure of untreated and treated kapok fibers was investigated and compared using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Field–Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). In addition, the sodium chlorite treated kapok fiber exhibits at least 8% better absorbency compare to the raw kapok fiber, suggesting its great potential for heavy metal removal.