ABSTRACT
166As the water scarcity is increasing globally, water related problems are expected to grow worse in the coming decades. So, there is a need to identify efficient techniques for treating water at low cost with less energy. The effluents from small-scale industries, like electroplating, smelting, battery manufacture, tanneries, etc. are contaminating the nearby water source by increasing the heavy metal concentrations mainly heavy metals like Chromium, Copper, Zinc and Cadmium, etc. These cause acute poisoning in humans with high blood pressure, kidney damage and destruction of testicular tissue, red blood cells, stomach cramps, skin irritations, vomiting and respiratory disorders. Therefore, this wastewater should be treated using cost effective methods. In recent years, the adsorption of metal ions using low cost adsorbents is very promising method. The present study involves the investigation on removal of Cadmium using low cost adsorbents like Maize corn leaves powder and Syzygiumcumini leaves powder (popularly known as jamun).
Different parameters such as contact time, pH, initial concentration of cadmium, temperature and adsorbent dosage on the adsorption of Cadmium were studied. The effect of initial metal concentrations of the solutions on the removal efficiency was examined. It was found that the adsorption data were fitted well by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and the adsorption capacity was estimated for both adsorbents.
