BITS Faculty Publications
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Item Mathematical modelling of the influence of physico-chemical properties on heavy metal adsorption by biosorbents(Elsevier, 2020-09) Goonetilleke, AshanthaAdsorption rate is a critical parameter in the design of effective biosorbent treatment systems for heavy metals removal. Though numerous studies have identified the physico-chemical properties of biosorbents that exert influence on the adsorption rate, such influence has not been mathematically defined, limiting the effective design of adsorption systems. This study quantifies the influence of biosorbent physico-chemical properties including, specific surface area, surface functional groups, pore size, pore volume and zeta potential on the adsorption rate in relation to three divalent metal cations. Mathematical equations were developed to predict the influence of physico-chemical properties on pseudo second order kinetic constant and thereby predict the adsorption rate. Tea factory waste and coconut shell biochar were mixed in different weight percentages to vary the physico-chemical properties under consideration. Four different initial metal ion concentrations were used. Relationship between pseudo second order kinetic constant at each concentration with physico-chemical properties was quantified using regression analysis. The experimental analysis revealed that among the physico-chemical properties, acidic surface functional groups had the most profound influence on sorption mechanisms. Reliability and accuracy of the predictive models were significantly improved when separate models were developed for two ranges of initial metal ion concentrations. The outcomes of this study will contribute to the effective design and optimization of biosorbent mixtures with the capacity to remove Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ in wastewater.Item Biosorption of heavy metals: transferability between batch and column studies(Elsevier, 2022-05) Goonetilleke, AshanthaThe design of an industrial water treatment system using sorption is based on laboratory column tests. To verify the applicability of a column sorption system at industrial scale, it is necessary to determine the system's breakthrough time (BT) in a laboratory setting. In a laboratory column set-up, BT is referred to as the time taken by the adsorbate to appear at column outlet for the first time. This is when the mass transfer zone (MTZ), where the equilibrium sorption occurs, reaches the end of the sorbent bed. However, such laboratory set-up requires significant resources including laboratory space, time and multiple trials, which is the opposite to the batch experimental approach that is commonly used to assess efficiency of sorbents. This study identified batch sorption parameters that can be used to determine BT for a column sorption setting for three toxic heavy metals commonly found in industrial wastewater, namely, Pb2+, Cd2+ and Cu2+. The study conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the relationships between column BT and its key influential factors, namely, equilibrium sorption capacity (qe), pseudo second-order kinetic rate constant (k2) and initial sorption rate (h). The results revealed that BT can be better estimated using h compared to qe and k2. As such, a batch experiment which is more resource efficient could be undertaken for an initial estimation of the experimental BT of a column system. Moreover, a simulation model developed to replicate column sorption could demonstrate the behaviour of the breakthrough curve, which is a key to the selection and assessment of the performance of a sorbent in an adsorbent column. The estimation errors in qe and k2 were found to influence the simulation outcomes. Hence, it is necessary to further investigate the other factors that can potentially influence sorption behaviour.