Physico–chemical treatment techniques for wastewater laden with heavy metals

In this study, the technical feasibility of coconut shell charcoal (CSC) and commercial activated carbon (CAC) for Cr(VI) removal is investigated in batch studies using synthetic electroplating wastewater. Both granular adsorbents are made up of coconut shell (Cocos nucifera L.), an agricultural waste from local coconut industries. Surface modifications of CSC and CAC with chitosan and/or oxidizing agents, such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid, respectively, are also conducted to improve removal performance. The results of their Cr removal performances are statistically compared. It is evident that adsorbents chemically modified with an oxidizing agent demonstrate better Cr(VI) removal capabilities than as-received adsorbents in terms of adsorption rate. Both CSC and CAC, which have been oxidized with nitric acid, have higher Cr adsorption capacities (CSC: 10.88, CAC: 15.47 mg g(-1)) than those oxidized with sulfuric acid (CSC: 4.05, CAC: 8.94 mg g(-1)) and non-treated CSC coated with chitosan (CSCCC: 3.65 mg g(-1)), respectively, suggesting that surface modification of a carbon adsorbent with a strong oxidizing agent generates more adsorption sites on their solid surface for metal adsorption.