Effect of nickel on the adsorption of silver ions over activated carbon
| Pages | 224-234 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJSTSD-07-2019-0048 |
| Published date | 11 November 2019 |
| Date | 11 November 2019 |
| Author | Hossam Altaher,Yehia H. Magdy,Anwar F. Al Yaqout |
| Subject Matter | Public policy & environmental management,Environmental technology & innovation |
Effect of nickel on the adsorption
of silver ions over activated carbon
Hossam Altaher
Sustainable Solution Group, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Yehia H. Magdy
El-Minia University, El-Minia, Egypt, and
Anwar F. Al Yaqout
Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Abstract
Purpose –The disposal of wastewater containing silver is an environmental concern. Due to the toxicity of
silver, treatment of such wastewater is necessary. Real wastewater contains a complex matrix of pollutants.
The purpose of this paper is to study the adsorption behavior of silver in single and binary systems (with
nickel) onto granular activated carbon.
Design/methodology/approach –The effect of silver ions concentration and the mass of adsorbent on the
adsorption behavior were analyzed. Five two-parameter isotherms (Langmuir, Elovich, Freundlich,
Dubinin–Radushkevich and Temkin) were applied to investigate the adsorption mechanism. Both linear and
nonlinear regressions were tested for the first three isotherms. The experimental data were also fitted to
Redlich–Petersons, Sips and Toth models.
Findings –A direct relationship between the initial silver ion concentration and its adsorption capacity was
observed, whereas an inverse relationship between the adsorbent mass and the adsorption capacity was
documented. The Langmuir model was found to best-fit the data indicating monolayer adsorption behavior.
The maximum uptake was 2,500 mg/g in the single adsorption system. This value decreased to 909 mg/g in
the binary system. The adsorption was found to have an exothermic chemical nature.
Originality/value –The study of the silver adsorption in a single system is inaccurate. Real wastewater
contains a complex matrix of pollutants. This research gives a clear insight into the adsorption behavior in
binary systems.
Keywords Adsorption, Equilibrium, Isotherms, Wastewater, Silver, Binary system
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The toxicity of silver due to wastewater disposal is an environmental concern. Silver can deposit
in human bodies causing argyria. Silver may also cause skin and eye irritation, dermatitis,
genotoxicity, neurotoxicity and possible carcinogenicity (Hadrup et al., 2018; Jeon, 2015).
Many industries produce wastewater containing silver such as plating industry,
photographic manufacturing, medicine industry, consumer products industry, electronics
industries, battery industry, clothing and metal alloy industries (Ho et al., 2018; Jeon, 2015).
The concentration of silver in wastewater can reach a value as high as 5,000–10,000 mg/L
(Ho et al., 2018). Silver is included in many products including amalgam fillings, coins,
jewelry, deodorants, tableware, coatings and medical devices (Hadrup et al., 2018). All these
are possible sources of polluting water with silver.
Many techniques including membrane separation, coagulation/flocculation, chemical
precipitation, ion exchange, may be used to remove silver ions from wastewater
(Freitas et al., 2017). However, adsorption is the preferred method due to its various
advantages over other techniques; e.g. modest operation, high efficiency, availability of
adsorbents, easy recovery of adsorbent and generation of a relatively small amount of
sludge ( Jeon, 2015, 2017).
World Journal of Science,
Technology and Sustainable
Development
Vol. 17 No. 2, 2020
pp. 224-234
© Emerald PublishingLimited
2042-5945
DOI 10.1108/WJSTSD-07-2019-0048
Received 17 July 2019
Revised 27 September 2019
Accepted 16 October 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2042-5945.htm
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or
not-for-profit sectors.
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