Revista de química analítica ambiental

Toxic Heavy Metals Assessment and Removal of Iron Ions from the Industrial Wastewater of Rawalpindi (Pakistan)

Abstract

Rizwan Ullah Khan

The heavy metals like iron, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, silver, and zinc in industrial wastewater pose threats to public health. The heavy metals toxicity causeS the damage of numerous human organs and also causing diseases in the human body. Iron is a heavy metal and it discharge into water from industrial wastes, natural geological sources, domestic wastes and various byproducts. Excess quantity of iron causes speedy rise in pulse rate, clotting of blood in blood vessels, drowsiness, and hypertension. In the current study assessment of toxic heavy metals carried out for wastewater, collected from small industrial estate (Taxila), Rawalpindi in first phase. In the second phase the iron ions removal carried out by using a novel biosorbent obtained from the seeds of Monotheca buxifolia (M. buxifolia) plant. The analysis results of wastewater show that iron is found in above allowable limit as per National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) for municipal and liquid industrial effluents, set by the government of Pakistan. The analysis results under different conditions of pH, contact time, and temperature in batch sorption process indicates that high metal ions of iron concentration reduced to permissible limit of industrial effluent NEQS (Pakistan) at the optimal conditions of pH 10 at 50°C temperature in 60 minutes contact time by using biosorbent of M. buxifolia . Biosorbent of M. buxifolia eliminated 99.91% iron (III) ions from industrial wastewater, collected from Rawalpindi industrial area. In the light of analysis result the novel biosorbent obtained from M. buxifolia is a low-cost, easily available, and environmental friendly biosorbent for the removal of iron from industrial wastewater.