Effect of pH for lead removal from polluted water applying peat

Abstract

Sorption is often applied as heavy metals removal from polluted water method. However, still remain the need for low cost, efficient sorbents, which are able to remove heavy metal ions from contaminated water. In the present work cheap biological material – peat have been investigated with respect to its capacity to adsorb metals from contaminated waters. The peat showed the high sorption capacity for lead form single-metal solutions. The key parameters characterizing sorbent and affecting its sorption properties –average values of total carbon, pH were determined – TC(peat) =51.83%, pHKCl = 4.80, pHH2O = 5.90. Determined quantity of lead in dry peat is equal to 3.31 ppm. Average value of moisture of peat was 44.67%. Modelling solution was used in research, inserting a known quantity of Pb salt and identifying peat sorption capacity under static conditions, after 72 hours. Effect of pH (pH = 2, pH = 4 and pH = 6) for lead removal from aqueous solution was studied. Best adsorption of Pb from aqueous solution applying peat was fixed when pH = 4 and pH = 6. The results of the research showed that maximum sorption capacity of peat is reached at pH = 4 and is equal to 9.976 mg/g.