REMOVAL OF METAL-IONS USING DYED CELLULOSIC MATERIALS

Cellulosic substrates, namely sawdust, jute fibres and bamboo pulp, which had been dyed with reactive dye, were subjected to semi-continuous adsorption of different metal ions using packed columns. On passing relatively high concentrations (1200-1300 mg litre-1) of the metal ions Pb2+, Hg2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Zn2+, Ni2+ and Fe2+ through the column at a rapid flow rate, it was found that the adsorbent columns were as effective in giving high adsorption levels as single batch experiments. The columns could be regenerated and used repeatedly for adsorbing different metal cations for a number of times without any apparent bleeding out of the dye from the substrate or any degradation of the substrate.