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Cr(III) dynamic removal in a fixed-bed column by using a co-gasification char

Publication . Dias, Diogo; Bernardo, Maria; Pinto, Filomena; Fonseca, Isabel Maria; Lapa, Nuno

ABSTRACT: A char (GC) obtained from the co-gasification of rice husk and polyethylene was used in a fixed-bed column with continuous flow for Cr(III) removal assays from synthetic and industrial wastewaters. For comparison purposes, a commercial activated carbon (CAC) was also used. The best experimental conditions in the continuous removal assays were the following ones: Cr(III) inflow concentration = 5 mg L-1, feed flow rate = 3 mL min(-1), mass of adsorbent in the column = 0.8 g, and inflow temperature = 50 degrees C. Under these conditions, the highest uptake capacities were 1.60 and 2.14 mg g(-1) in the synthetic solution, and 3.25 and 7.83 mg g(-1) in the industrial wastewater, for GC and CAC, respectively. These results are different from those obtained under batch conditions in which GC performed better than CAC. Cr(III) removal by both adsorbents occurred due to precipitation, but CAC presented a slightly higher amount of Cr(III) removed due to its highest porosity. The regeneration of GC and CAC was also studied, but both adsorbents showed no capacity to be used in more than one cycle. This study highlighted the importance of studying Cr(III) removal under continuous conditions, as the removal mechanisms may be completely different from the batch assays, affecting the adsorbents' performance.

2021-10Journal article

Open access

Highly efficient porous carbons for the removal of W(VI) oxyanion from wastewaters

Publication . Dias, Diogo; Don, Davide; Jandosov, Jakpar; Bernardo, Maria; Pinto, Filomena; Fonseca, Isabel Maria; Sanches, André; Caetano, P. S.; Lyubchyk, Svitlana; Lapa, Nuno

ABSTRACT: Pyrolysis chars derived from rice wastes were chemically activated and used in W(VI) oxyanion adsorption assays in synthetic and mining wastewaters. For comparison purposes, a commercial activated carbon (CAC) was also used. Different experimental conditions were tested in the adsorption assays: solid/liquid ratio (S/L), initial pH, contact time, and initial W concentration. The porous carbon P2C+KOH presented the overall best performance in both media, due to its high surface area (2610 m2 g-1), mesopore volume (1.14 cm3 g-1), and neutral pHpzc (6.92). In the synthetic wastewater, the highest uptake capacity of P2C+KOH (854 mg g-1) was found in the assays with an S/L 0.1 g L-1, an initial pH 2, and an initial W concentration of 150 mg L-1, for 24 h. This value was almost 8 times higher than the one obtained for CAC (113 mg g-1). In the mining wastewater, P2C+KOH showed an even higher uptake capacity (1561 mg g-1) in the assay with the same experimental conditions, which was almost 3 times higher than for CAC (561 mg g-1). These results suggest that P2C+KOH seems to be an efficient alternative to CAC in the W(VI) adsorption from liquid effluents.

2021-06Journal article

Open access