A parametric evaluation of the removal of As(V) and As(III) by carbon-based adsorbents Original Research Article

The As(V) and As(III) removal efficiency of a char-carbon (CC), derived from fly ash in this laboratory, is compared with those of a commercially available Darco activated carbon (DC) and a carbon produced by arcing of graphite rods (AC). The results indicate that CC and AC adsorbents remove almost equal amounts of As(V) at optimum conditions; however, on a percent basis CC removes more As(III) than does AC. In comparison, sample DC was found ineffective for the removal of As(III) and As(V). The present investigation revealed that the adsorption of As(V) onto CC is influenced by pH, initial metal concentration and temperature. Zeta potential measurements were obtained to explain the metal removal behavior of the adsorbents used in this investigation. Since CC shows significant removal efficiency for both As(V) and As(III), there are good prospects for arsenic fixation on CC in practical applications.