ROLE OF SAWDUST IN THE REMOVAL OF COPPER(II) FROM INDUSTRIAL-WASTES

Sawdust, an inexpensive material has been utilised as an adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) from waste water for their safe disposal. The e ffects of contact time, pH, concentration, temperature, dose, particle size of the adsorbent and salinity on the removal of Cu(II) have been studied. The equilibrium nature of copper(II) adsorption at different temperature (30-50 degrees C) has been described by the Freundlich an d Langmuir isotherm and a tentative mechanism has been proposed. The t hermodynamic parameters like free energy, entropy and enthalpy changes for the adsorption of Cu(II) have also been computed and discussed. T he kinetics and the factors controlling the adsorption process have al so been studied. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.