Removal of Zinc and Chromium from industrial wastewater using water hyacinth (E. crassipes) petiole, leaves and root powder: Equilibrium study

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is known for its rapid invasive growth on surface of water bodies which inturn cause many ill-effects on biodiversity. The current study was performed on the remediation of Zinc and Chromium metal ions from Electroplating Industry Wastewater (EIW) using dried biomass of aquatic macrophyte ? water hyacinth. The potential of powdered parts of (leaves, petiole, root) water hyacinth was studied through influential parameters such as biosorbent dosage, initial concentration of heavy metals, initial pH and contact time. Batch adsorption studies were conducted followed by column studies. Biosorbent prepared from root showed maximum Zinc (Zn) removal of 98.9% and stem showed Chromium (Cr) removal of 96.4% respectively. The obtained data was fit into equilibrium studies ie. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. Equilibrium studies confirmed the conformity of the adsorption isotherms to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms for the stem sample in removal of Chromium and the root sample was found to conform to the Langmuir isotherm in removal of Zinc. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Advanced Materials Behavior and Characterization.