Half industrial model study for heavy metal removal using untreated and activated rice straw

Abstract EN

This paper reports the results of the study on the performance of low-cost adsorbent such as raw rice straw (RRS) and activated straw with sodium hydroxide in removing the heavy metals such as iron and manganese from a ground water plant in Manial Sheiha village–Abou El Nomros district –Giza governorate ; where the concentrations of iron & manganese re above the permissible level, which are 0.3 Mg / lit.

for iron and 0.1 Mg / lit.

for manganese ; this derived the people of the village to bring water from outside the plant for drinking & cooking.

The adsorbent materials adopted were found to be an efficient media for the removal of heavy metals in continuous mode using Half industrial model.

The column studies were conducted with steady flow plus studying the effects of changing parameters like flow and straw activation on removal process.

It is found that the adsorption capacity and adsorption rate constant were increased when the rice straw is treated with sodium hydroxide, when compared with that of RRS.

Also the process of iron and manganese removal from ground water depended on the inlet flow to the unit where the efficiency increases with decrease of the flow and vice versa.

This research is considered a preliminary experiment for a deep study to determine a design & operation characteristics for water treatment plant using rice straw for removal of iron& manganese.

Limited numbers of parameters were used in the research in order to put the main lines for a detailed research plan in a longer study period to reach the best operating methods for best percentages of iron & manganese.