The use of sawdust as by product adsorbent of organic pollutant from wastewater: adsorption of phenol

Locally available sawdust, a very low cost and promising material was tested experimentally as an adsorbent, after carbonization, for the removal of phenol from industrial waste waters for a safe disposal. The experiments were performed batchwise to remove phenol from synthesized aqueous solutions. The equilibrium adsorption level was determined as a function of the solution pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dose and the initial adsorbate concentration. Adsorption isotherms of phenol on adsorbents were determined and correlated with the usual isotherm equations such as Langmuir and Freundlich. The optimum conditions for the removal of phenol were worked out along with the kinetics of the process. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review review under responsibility of The TerraGreen Society.