Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Removal of mercury from aqueous solutions by adsorption to rice husks

Journal Article · · Separation Science and Technology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1081/SS-100100827· OSTI ID:20017412
The adsorption of mercury ions from aqueous solutions on rice husk has been investigated as a function of appropriate electrolyte, contact time, concentrations of adsorbent and adsorbate, and temperature. The radiotracer technique was used to determine the distribution of mercury. Maximum adsorption was observed at 0.01 mol/dm{sup 3} acid solutions (HNO{sub 3}, HCl, H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}, and HClO{sub 4}) using 1.0 g of adsorbent for 1.30 x 10{sup {minus}3} mol/dm{sup 3} mercury concentration in 5 minutes of equilibration time. Studies show that the adsorption decreases with an increase in the concentrations of all the acids. The adsorption data follow the Freundlich isotherm over the range of 1.3 x 10{sup {minus}4} to 2.6 x 10{sup {minus}3} mol/dm{sup 3} mercury concentration. The characteristic Freundlich constants, i.e., l/n = 0.89 {+-} 0.05 and A = 208 {+-} 2.1 m{center{underscore}dot}mol/g, have been computed for the sorption system. The uptake of mercury increases with a rise in temperature. Thermodynamic parameters, i.e., {Delta}G{degree}, {Delta}S{degree}, and {Delta}H{degree}, have also been calculated for the system. The sorption process was found to be endothermic. Application of the method to the effluents of medium-sized industries showed that 9.9 kg of rice husk was sufficient for their decontamination.
Research Organization:
Pakistan Inst. of Nuclear Science and Technology, Islamabad (PK)
OSTI ID:
20017412
Journal Information:
Separation Science and Technology, Journal Name: Separation Science and Technology Journal Issue: 16 Vol. 34; ISSN 0149-6395; ISSN SSTEDS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Removal of lead from aqueous solutions using rice husk
Journal Article · Sat Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1998 · Separation Science and Technology · OSTI ID:293021

Removal of Ni(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) ions from single metal aqueous solution using rice husk-based activated carbon
Journal Article · Fri Oct 24 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · AIP Conference Proceedings · OSTI ID:22308055

Adsorption of microamounts of silver on manganese dioxide from acid solutions
Journal Article · Thu Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Separation Science and Technology; (USA) · OSTI ID:6011835