Competitive Adsorption of Copper, Zinc, and Chromium from Wastewater Using Corn-Cob Ash: Optimization Approach

Abstract:

Corn Cob ash was used in competitive adsorption of copper, zinc, and chromium from wastewater. The central composite design; a sub-set of response surface methodology was used to optimize the adsorption of the heavy metals. The result of the statistical parameters showed the coefficient of determination (R²) of 1.000, 0.999, and 1.000 for copper, zinc, and chromium respectively. The optimal conditions obtained for adsorbent dosage, initial concentration, temperature, contact time, and particle size were 13.20 mg, 79.72 mg/l, 34.95 °C, 40.38 min, and 1400 µm, respectively with the desirability of 1.000. The predicted and the actual values of metal removal obtained were 69.41%, 76.37%, as well as 70.44%, 72.50%, 77.90 % and 71.00% for copper, zinc, and chromium respectively. The ressult indicated a good conformity between the model predicted values and the actual values, thus having small errors of 3.09%, 1.53 % and 0.56 % for copper, zinc, and chromium respectively.

• Periodical: International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa (Volume 58)
• Pages: 77-94
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/JERA.58.77
• Online since: January 2022
• Authors: Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ugwu*, Jonah Chukwuemeka Agunwamba
• Keywords: Chromium, Competitive Adsorption, Copper, Corn Cob Ash, Response Surface Methodology, Zinc

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