Removal of heavy metal ions by blended periwinkle shells

In this study, coconut husk and palm kernel fiber were characterized, blended with periwinkle shells, thiolated and used to remove heavy metal ions-Co2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ ions from aqueous solution. Periwinkle shells, palm kernel fiber and coco nut husk were obtained from New Benin market, Benin city, Nigeria. These were milled, sieved with a 3002 μm mesh sieve, blended in seven different ratios: 1:1:1, 1:1:4, 1:4:1, 4:1:1, 1:3:2, 2:1:3, 3:2:1 and characterized. They were all thiolated and the best blend having the highest surface area was used to remove heavy metal ions-Co2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ ions from solutions. The effect of time, temperature and concentration on the removal of heavy metal ions were studied. The optimum time for the removal of Co2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ ions were 70, 90 and 80 min, respectively. The blended sample was more effective in the removal of heavy metal ions from their solutions compared with only periwinkle shells. The blended periwinkle shells were found to adsorb twenty six times as much as the periwinkle shells alone. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.