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Abstract
Biological materials for the removal of heavy metal ions from waste water are important due to their extreme toxicity towards aquatic life and humans. Microorganisms and low cost natural biosorbents are being increasingly studied for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution. In this work, Parthenium hysterophorus leaf powder was taken as a low cost biosorbent for the sorption of Chromium(VI). The various parameters like Initial metal ion concentration, Initial pH, Temperature and Biosorbent dosage were studied in a batch reactor. Equilibrium was reached after 24 h of contact time. The optimum values of initial Chromium concentration, initial pH, temperature and biomass loading are found to be 50mg/l, 2,30°C and 5g/l . Under this optimised condition a maximum percentage removal of 92% and specific uptake of 10mg/g was obtained for Cr(VI) sorption. Equilibrium model fits well with Langmiur and Freundlich adsorption isotherms.