DOIONLINE 
DOIONLINE Publish In |
International Journal of Advances in Science, Engineering and Technology(IJASEAT)-IJASEAT |
 Journal Home Volume Issue |
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Issue |
Volume-4,Issue-4, Spl. Iss-2 ( Dec, 2016 ) | |||||||||
Paper Title |
Utilisation of Chemically Activated Maize Tassel For Remediation of Eutrophic Phosphorus | |||||||||
Author Name |
Nana M. Agyei, Adebayo M. Shofolahan, Jonathan O. Okonkwo | |||||||||
Affilition |
Chemistry Department, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Garankuwa 0208, South Africa. Environmental Sciences Department, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa | |||||||||
Pages |
15-17 | |||||||||
Abstract |
Chemical precipitation with lime, the technology of choice for phosphate removal from contaminated waters, is expensive. In this study the feasibility of utilizing low-cost chemically activated maize tassel for the adsorptive removal of phosphate was assessed. H3PO4 was added to maize tassel powder in the impregnation ratio 2:1(w/w H3PO4: tassel) and activated at 600°C under an inert atmosphere of N2. The activated product was characterized by BET. Activation resulted in an increase in specific surface area from SBET 2.54 to 803.8 m2/g. Batch experiments were performed to study the removal of phosphate from simulated samples; the optimal parameters were found to be: contact time of 90 min, pH 7 and adsorbent dosage of 1.5 g per 100 mL solution. The adsorption data were fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.99), yielding an estimated adsorption capacity of 15.41 mg PO4 3- (as P) per g adsorbent. The activated product was successfully applied for the remediation of phosphate in selected sewage samples. Keywords- Maize tassel, chemical activation, eutrophication, phosphate removal. | |||||||||
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