In the present study, a low-cost adsorbent eucalyptus globules bark carbon (EGBG) have been prepared from naturally and abundantly available agriculture waste and it was used as replacements for the current expensive adsorbent viz., commercial activated carbon (CAC) for the removal of toxic Hg(II) ions from wastewaters. The influence of various parameters such as effect of pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, initial concentration of metal ions and temperature on the removal was examined by batch method. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were tested and found to be applicable. Monolayer adsorption of Hg(II) ions occur on the surface of the adsorbents. Adsorption data are modeled with various first order kinetic equations like Natarajan-Khalaf, Lagergren and Bhattacharya and Venkobachar equations. The intra particle diffusion model is found to be applicable. This indicates that the Hg(II) ions adsorption on CAC and EGBC is first order with the intra-particle diffusion as one of the rate determining steps.
Keywords: Adsorption; Eucalyptus Globules Bark Carbon; Low-Cost Adsorbent; Kinetic Study