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Microwave treated activated carbon from industrial waste lignin for denitrification of surface water

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Abstract

Highly porous adsorbent materials were developed from industrial waste lignin for denitrification of surface and groundwater. The effect of microwave treatment and zinc ion impregnation on denitrification capacities of the material was investigated. The denitrification efficiencies of prepared materials were investigated by performing batch and continuous column adsorption experiments. The effect of different experimental parameters, including initial nitrate ion concentration, solution pH, and contact time, was also investigated. Adsorption kinetic follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic mechanism. Adsorption isotherm follows the monomolecular adsorption and experimental data best fitted into the Langmuir isotherm model. Continuous column denitrification experiments were performed with granulated adsorbent at different experimental conditions to understand its applicability in the household water treatment unit. Thomas model breakthrough time and the nitrate removal efficiency increase with increasing bed depth, whereas it declines with flow rate and nitrate concentration. The economic viability and environmental friendliness were understood by conducting adsorption–desorption experiments with loaded materials. The performance of adsorbent did not alter significantly even after four consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles.

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Abbreviations

Qe:

Equilibrium adsorption (mg/g)

Ci:

Initial concentration of nitrate (mg/l)

Ce:

Equilibrium concentration of nitrate (mg/l)

V:

Sample volume (l)

M:

Adsorbent weight (g)

qt:

Amount of nitrate adsorbed per mass unit of adsorbent at time t.

qe:

Quantity of nitrate adsorbed per adsorbed mass unit at equilibrium (mg/gm)

k1:

Rate constant for pseudo-first-order

k2:

Rate constant pseudo-second-order kinetic model

N:

Number of data points

qeexp :

Nitrate adsorbed per mass unit of adsorbent at the equilibrium from laboratory experiments

qecal :

Nitrate adsorbed per mass unit of adsorbent at the equilibrium from applied model

K:

Langmuir constant related to free energy

Kf:

Freundlich constant related to intensity of adsorption

Xm:

Maximum adsorption capacity (mg/g)

1/n:

Dimensionless heterogeneity factor connected to nature of adsorbent

CO:

Nitrate concentration of feed water (mg/l)

Q:

Adsorption capacity of MLAC (mg/g)

x/m:

Mass of adsorbate per unit mass of adsorbent in column bed (g)

tB:

Time for breakthrough

CB:

Amount of nitrate adsorbed just before breakthrough point (mg/l)

Qo:

Adsorption capacity (mg/g)

Kth:

Thomas model rate constant (ml/mg min)

V:

Effluent volume (ml)

m:

Adsorbent mass in grams used in column

f:

Flow rate (ml/min)

Ct:

Effluent nitrate concentration at any time

C0/Ct:

Ratio of outlet and influent nitrate concentration

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank all who assisted in conducting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water Technology and Management Department, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, 440020, India

    A. Maldhure, A. Waghela, P. Nagarnaik, G. Khadse & P. Labhasetwar

  2. Department of Civil and Applied Mechanics, Shri G.S. Institute of Science and Technology, Indore, 452003, India

    A. Waghela

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  1. A. Maldhure
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  2. A. Waghela
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  3. P. Nagarnaik
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  4. G. Khadse
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  5. P. Labhasetwar
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Correspondence to A. Maldhure.

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Editorial responsibility: Hari Pant.

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Maldhure, A., Waghela, A., Nagarnaik, P. et al. Microwave treated activated carbon from industrial waste lignin for denitrification of surface water. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 19, 4987–4996 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03361-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03361-8

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