The removal of Zinc, Chromium and Nickel from industrial waste water using Corn cobs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to use low cost adsorbents, which consist of corn cobs as plant wastes adsorbents in treatment of Industrial waste water by fixed bed column technique and study the effect of two variables (pH value and contact time). The sample of plant waste (Corn cobs) was tested to determine its activity which gives the best performance in heavy metals removal and other pollutants (TSS, TDS and COD). Adsorption tests showed the corn cobs adsorbents had significant heavy metal removal efficiency. The best removal efficiency 95.05% of Cr was occurred at pH 5.4 and 4.18hr. Higher removal efficiency 99.90% of Ni was occurred at pH 6.5 and 2.38hr. While, lower removal efficiency 91.35% for Zn obtained at pH 6.5 and 0.15hr. Removal efficiency for TDS, TSS and COD were 56%, 65.7% and 83.3% respectively.