tions containing 40–400 mg L–1 of Cr(VI). Solutions of
0.5 N HCl and 0.5 N NaOH were used for initial pH adjustments.
The batch experiments were carried out in
100 mL conical flasks (BOROSIL Glass Works Ltd., India)
by agitating a pre-weighed amount of the treated tamarind
seeds (adsorbent) with 25 mL of the aqueous Cr(VI) solution
for a predetermined period of 50 h (based on prior kinetic
studies) at 30 8C on a water bath – mechanical
shaker. Adsorption isotherm study was carried out with different
initial concentrations of Cr(VI) ranging from 40 to
400 mg L–1 while maintaining the adsorbent dosage at
10 g L–1. The effect of time and initial pH were studied
at 30 8C with a Cr(VI) concentration of 50 mg L–1 and an
adsorbent dosage of 10 g L–1. The concentration of free
Cr(VI) ions in the effluent was determined spectrophotometrically
(model No. 119, Systronics) by developing a
purple-violet color with 1,5-diphenyl carbazide in acidic
solution as a complexing agent (APHA 1985).
Results and discussion
In this study, activated tamarind seeds were used for
Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions. The effect of various
parameters such as initial pH, contact time, initial concentration,
and adsorbent dosage was studied, the results of
which are discussed below.
Effect of initial pH
Removal efficiency increased with decreasing initial pH
and reached 98% in the initial pH range of 1–3 as shown in
Fig. 1. It is well known that the dominant form of Cr(VI) at
this initial pH is HCrO4
– (Namasivayam and Yamuna 1995).
Increasing the initial pH will shift the concentration of
HCrO4
– to other forms, (CrO4
2– and Cr2O7
2–).
Effect of contact time
Time of contact has a significant influence on the adsorption
of Cr(VI) as shown in Fig. 2. For the first 10 h, the percentage
removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution increases
rapidly and reaches a value of 81%, and subsequently increases
slowly until 50 h and reaches 98% removal. A further
increase in contact time has a negligible effect on the
percentage removal. Therefore, the contact time of 50 h
was considered for adsorption of Cr(VI) on tamarind seeds
for all batch studies.
Adsorption isotherms
Figure 3 shows the adsorption isotherm for Cr(VI) adsorption
on tamarind seeds. A variety of isotherm equations have
been in use, some of which have a strong theoretical base
and some being of mere empirical nature. In the present
work, two of these isotherms were tested.
Langmuir isotherm
The isotherm equation gives the fractional coverage (),
which is given as eq. [1]
½1 ¼ qe
qm
¼ bCe
1 þ bCe
where b is ka/kd (where ka and kd are the rate constants for