Adsorbent selection for endosulfan removal from water environment

• Published in: Journal of environmental science and health. Part B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 97 - 118
• Main Authors: Sudhakar, Y. (Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India.), Dikshit, A.K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 1999; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: ACTIVATED CARBON; Activated charcoal; ADSORBANT; ADSORBENTE; ADSORBENTS; ADSORCION; ADSORPTION; Applied sciences; CARBON ACTIVADO; CHARBON ACTIF; Charcoal; CONTROL DE LA CONTAMINACION; endosulfan; Endosulfan - metabolism; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Insecticides - metabolism; kimberlite tailings; Kinetics; LUTTE ANTIPOLLUTION; maximum sorption capacity; Pollution; POLLUTION CONTROL; POLLUTION DE L'EAU; POLUCION DEL AGUA; Polyporaceae; silica; Silicon Dioxide; sojar caju, wood charcoal; Wastewaters reuse. Miscellaneous; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; WATER POLLUTION; Water treatment and pollution; WOOD CHARCOAL; Insecticide; Kimberlite; Pesticides; Cyclodiene derivatives; Basidiomycetes; Silica; Fungi; Decontamination; Organochlorine compounds; Activated carbon; Water pollution; Economic aspect; Adsorbent; Edible fungi; Thallophyta; Charcoal
• ISSN: 0360-1234; 1532-4109
• DOI: 10.1080/03601239909373186

In the present study, an attempt was made to select a low cost adsorbing material for the removal of endosulfan [C,C'-(1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7-hexachloro-8, 9, 10-trinorborn-5-en-2,3-ylene)(dimethylsulphite)] from water. Various low cost adsorbents like wood charcoal, kimberlite tailings, silica, macro fungi sojar caju were tried with activated charcoal as reference material. The above materials were selected from various sources encompassing organic, inorganic, clayey, and biological sources. For the selection of suitable adsorbent for endosulfan uptake, maximum adsorption capacity (Q
max
) was chosen as the parameter. Kinetic profiles of removal were generated for all the materials to assess the equilibrium time. Equilibrium studies were carried out for all materials to assess the adsorption equilibrium model that they followed. The model that gave the best correlation coefficient by linear regression analysis, was adopted for the calculation of Q
max
of the corresponding adsorbent material. Using linearised forms of equilibrium models like Langmuir, BET, and Freundlich, maximum adsorptive capacities were determined. Activated charcoal showed the best adsorptive capacity with Q
max
of 2.145 mg/g followed by wood charcoal 1.773 mg/g, sojar caju 1.575 mg/g, kimberlite tailings 0.8821 mg/g, and silica 0.3231 mg/g.
Albeit activated charcoal gave better performance, it was not considered as a candidate material because of its high cost. Wood charcoal was the next best adsorbent with Q
max
1.773 mg/g. Therefore, wood charcoal was chosen as the best material for endosulfan removal. The study of physical and chemical characteristics of wood charcoal revealed that it is a potential adsorbent and can even be improved further.