Speaker
Prof.
Antoine Antoine F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi
(University of Johannesburg)
Description
Response surface methodology optimization of adsorption and kinetics of Ca removal from aqueous solution using macadamia nutshell biochar
Antoine F. Mulaba – Bafubiandi, Reason Sithole and Sobowale Sunday Samuel
Mineral Processing and Technology Research Center, Department of Metallurgy, School of Mining , Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, PO BOX 17011 Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
Macadamia nutshells collected from Nelspruit (Mpumalanga) were pyrolyzed using a tube furnace and microwave heating process. The produced biochar was activated chemically with varying concentrations of HCL, H2SO4, H3PO4 and HNO3 to improve their adsorption ability. The optimised removal of calcium from a gold elution effluent is the focus of the project. This paper reports on the use of response surface methodology to optimise the adsorption isotherm of the calcium removal from aqueous solutions generated to mimic the plant effluent. The kinetics study complements the paper. BET, SEM, TGA FTIR, XRF and XRD were utilised to characterise both the as-received nutshells, the produced biochar and the Ca-loaded activated biochar. The behaviour in an attrition test as well as their proximate analysis data will be discussed in the light of the optimised Ca removal. The collected Ca adsorption parameters will be validated using the response surface methodology.
Keywords: Isotherms of adsorption, biochar, macadamia nutshells, kinetics study
Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> award (Yes / No)?
yes
Level for award<br> (Hons, MSc, <br> PhD, N/A)?
PhD
Primary author
Prof.
Antoine Antoine F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi
(University of Johannesburg)
Co-author
Dr
Sunday Samuel Sobowale
(University of Johannesburg)
