Biosorption of Copper (ii) from Aqueous Solution Using Citrus Sinensis Peel and Wood Sawdust: Utilization in Purification of Drinking and Waste Water

Excess of copper (>2 mg/L) in drinking water is significantly toxic to human being and ecological environments. Various treatment technologies for copper removal from industrial and municipal waste water effluents has been investigated in past. In the present study batch biosorption studies were carried out for the adsorption of Cu by using natural cheap agrowaste such as peel of Citrus sinensis and wood sawdust for the removal of Cu from aqueous solution. The effects of contact time, pH, concentration and dosage on the removal of Cu have been studied. Results indicated that contact time of 60 min is sufficient to achieve equilibrium at different concentrations. Determination of Cu was done using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and characterization of the agrowaste materials was done using FTIR. The peak percentage adsorption of Cu was attained at pH 6.5. Study reveals that peel of Citrus sinensis has good copper removal capacity than wood sawdust. peel of Citrus sinensis can reduce levels to 0.1ppm and wood sawdust can reduce copper up to 1.18 ppm which is less then permissible limit for copper in drinking water, i.e. 2ppm.