Adsorption of Pb (II) and Cu (II) from Aqueous Solution onto Activated Carbon Prepared from Dates Stones

Abstract

Potentially toxic trace elements such as Lead Pb(II) and Copper Cu (II), with high levels in water are very serious problem in many places around the world, sometimes in relation to natural sources and in other cases to anthropogenic ones. Adsorption process is among the most effective techniques for removing of many heavy metal (HM) ions from different types of water. In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the efficiency of granular activated carbon (GAC) and powder activated carbon (PAC) obtained from easy available agricultural by-products dates stones (DS) in removing of Pb (II), Cu (II) from their aqueous solutions using batch mode technique. During the removal process, the effects of solution pH, HM concentrations and contact time, and adsorbent concentration, on adsorption efficiency by both GAC & PAC were studied. Under the experimental conditions, the removal efficiency of such metals by PAC was 83%, 91% showing preference over GAC which had a removal efficiency of 76%, 82% respectively.