Modelling and packed bed column studies on adsorptive removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions by a mixture of ground burnt patties and red soil

The present study examines the phosphate adsorption potential and behavior of mixture of Ground Burnt Patties (GBP), a solid waste generated from cooking fuel used in earthen stoves and Red Soil (RS), a natural substance in fixed bed column mode operation. The characterization of adsorbent was done by Proton Induced X- ray Emission (PIXE), and Proton Induced γ- ray Emission (PIGE) methods. The FTIR spectroscopy of spent adsorbent reveals the presence of absorbance peak at 1127 cm -1 which appears due to P = O stretching, thus confirming phosphate adsorption. The effects of bed height (10, 15 and 20 cm), flow rate (2.5, 5 and 7.5 mL/min) and initial phosphate concentration (5 and 15 mg/L) on breakthrough curves were explored. Both the breakthrough and exhaustion time increased with increase in bed depth, decrease in flow rate and influent concentration. Thomas model, Yoon-Nelson model and Modified Dose Response model were used to fit the column adsorption data using nonlinear regression analysis while Bed Depth Service Time model followed linear regression analysis under different experimental condition to evaluate model parameters that are useful in scale up of the process. The values of correlation coefficient (R 2 ) and the Sum of Square Error (SSE) revealed the Modified Dose Response model as the best fitted model to the experimental data. The adsorbent mixture responded effectively to the desorption and reusability experiment. The results of this finding advocated that mixture of GBP and RS can be used as a low cost, highly efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal from aqueous solution.