%0 Journal Article
%T Adsorbent Ability of Treated Peganum harmala-L Seeds for the Removal of Ni (II) from Aqueous Solutions: Kinetic, Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Studies
%A Maryam Ghasemi
%A Nahid Ghasemi
%A Javad Azimi-Amin
%J Indian Journal of Materials Science
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/459674
%X The main goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of new adsorbent, treated Peganum harmala-L seeds (TPHS), for the removal of Ni (II) from aqueous solution. Batch experiments were performed as a function of various experimental parameters. The adsorption studies included both equilibrium adsorption isotherms and kinetics. Equilibrium data fitted very well with the Langmuir isotherm model. Maximum adsorption capacity was determined 91.74£¿mg/g at pH 7. Kinetics studies showed better applicability for pseudo-second-order model for both adsorbents. The negative value of confirmed the feasibility and spontaneity of TPHS for Ni (II) adsorption. 1. Introduction Removal of heavy metals from wastewaters and industrial wastes has become a very important environmental issue. Nickel salts are commonly used in silver refineries, electroplating, zinc base casting, storage battery industries, printing, and in the production of some alloys that discharge significant amount of nickel in various forms to the environment. At higher concentrations, Ni (II) causes lung, nose, and bone cancer; headache; dizziness; nausea and vomiting; chest pain; tightness of the chest; dry cough and shortness of breath; rapid respiration; cyanosis; and extreme weakness. Hence, it is essential to remove Ni (II) from industrial wastewaters before it is discharged into natural water sources [1]. Adsorption is considered as effective, efficient, and economic method for water purification [2]. Since the performance of an adsorptive separation is directly dependent on the quality and cost effectiveness of the adsorbent, the last decade has seen a continuous improvement in the development of effective noble adsorbents in the form of activated carbons [3], zeolites [4], clay minerals [5], chitosan [6], lignocelluloses [7], natural inorganic minerals [8], and so forth. Adsorption onto activated carbon (AC) has proven to be one of the most effective and reliable physicochemical treatment methodologies. AC from cheap and readily available sources has been successively employed for removal of heavy metals [9]. There is only limited research on the preparation of activated carbons or modified natural adsorbent using Peganum harmala-L and its application for removing nickel from wastewaters. Peganum harmala, commonly called Esfand, Wild rue, Syrian rue, African rue, is a plant of the family Nitrariaceae. This plant is native from the eastern Iranian region west to India. Peganum harmala-L is abundant and inexpensive in Iran. However, microorganism-based and other biomasses often need to be
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijms/2014/459674/