Utilization of Melia azedarach Fruit Based Adsorbents for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Waste Water

Utilization of Melia azedarach fruit based adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals like Cu (II), Ni (II) was considered. The effect of base treatment on the adsorbent behaviour was also studied. Batch adsorption studies were conducted as a function of solution concentration, adsorbent dose, and contact time at pH 5. Equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to regressed form of Langmuir, Frendlich and Temkin isotherm equations. At room temperature, 100 mg of Melia azedarach adsorbent removed about 95% of Cu (II) ions from the aqueous solution in the concentration range of 10-25ppm. While, 69% to 86% of Ni (II) ions were removed by MA adsorbent under same conditions. Slight increase in metal ions uptake was observed in the case of base treated MA adsorbents. Equilibrium adsorption data for Cu(II) and Ni(II) fitted well in to Freundlich adsorption isotherm.