PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ADSORBENT USING EGGSHELL AND DETERMINATION OF REMOVAL EFFICIENCY OF HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM AND TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON

Abstract

The study was undertaken to prepare and characterize the adsorbent using eggshell and determination of removal efficiency of Cr6 and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Unheated adsorbent and heated (at 1500C) adsorbent were prepared. Characterization of adsorbent was performed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Elemental Analysis (EA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The Eggshell surface showed porous nature. This study showed that heated eggshells adsorbed more rapidly and efficiently than unheated adsorbents. Heated eggshell removed twice the amount of Cr6 than the Cr6 removed by unheated eggshell. When both heated and unheated eggshells were used to remove TOC, the load of TOC increased. This may be caused by the release of organic carbon from the adsorbent.