Abstract:
The feasibility of using Pennisetum clandestinum biomass as low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Zn2+ was
investigated in batch studies. The Freundlich, Langmuir,Dubinin Raduskevich and Temkin adsorption isotherms were used to analyze
the experimental data. The kinetic analyses of the adsorption processes were performed using pseudo-first order and pseudo-second
order kinetic models. The Langmuir isotherm adequately described the adsorption of Zn2+
onto the material. The maximum
adsorption capacity
max q
was found to be 25.34 Mg/g. The Langmuir dimensionless constant, separation factor (RL) was between
0<RL<1, indicating favorable adsorption. The heat of adsorption (kJmol-1) obtained were generally somewhat low, indicating
physisorption of Zn2+ to the adsorbates. For the kinetic studies, the pseudo -second order model suitably described the removal of Zn2+
by Pennisetum clandestinum biomass.
