COLUMN STUDIES ON METAL-ION REMOVAL BY DYED CELLULOSIC MATERIALS

Cellulosic materials, namely bleached bamboo pulp, jute fibers, and sawdust dyed with a reactive dye of monochlorotriazine type were used in the column studies for removal of different metal ions. The use of an adsorption column makes the process continuous, so that it is economically viable on an industrial scale. After the adsorption of metal ions such as Cu2+, Pb2+, Hg2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Zn2+ and Ni2+, the adsorbents were successfully regenerated by using dilute acids. These columns were then used repeatedly for adsorption either of the same salt for more than ten times or of different salts in succession. No loss in adsorption power was observed.