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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #195146
Title: ANION AND CATION REMOVAL FROM SOLUTION USING ACTIVATED CARBONS FROM MUNICIPAL SLUDGE AND POULTRY MANURE

Author
item Fitzmorris, Kari
item Lima, Isabel
item Marshall, Wayne
item REIMERS, ROBERT - TULANE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Residuals Science & Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2006
Publication Date: 7/10/2006
Citation: Fitzmorris, K.B., Lima, I.M., Marshall, W.E., Reimers, R.S. 2006. Anion and cation removal from solution using activated carbons from municipal sludge and poultry manure. Journal of Residuals Science & Technology. 3(3):161-167.

Interpretive Summary: The importance of removing toxic metals from water sources has increased over the last ten years due to the link established between the presence of these metals and negative health effects. We evaluated the capabilities of activated carbons made from municipal sludge and poultry manure to absorb select metals. Eight metals were chosen based on their importance as environmental pollutants and placed together in one solution. Our results showed that of the metals tested, lead uptake was the highest by all carbon types, but the carbon from the municipal sludge also absorbed arsenic well. These results show a potential for turning waste materials into value-added products, namely activated carbon, which could benefit the environment and agricultural community.

Technical Abstract: The removal of potentially toxic metal cations and anions from water is essential to providing safe water for consumption and recreation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of activated carbons made from municipal sludge and poultry manure to remove certain metal cations and anions from solution. Adsorption of the cations cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, nickel and zinc and the anions arsenic and selenium was carried out at pH 5. Lead was the most easily adsorbed cation by all three carbons, and the carbon from poultry cake adsorbed more cations, in general, than the other two carbons. However, arsenic and selenium were adsorbed more readily by the sludge-based carbon than the manure-based carbons. Combinations of both sludge- and poultry manure-based carbons may be efficacious toward the removal of low levels of cations and anions commonly found in municipal and industrial wastewater.