International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.
53 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm
Equilibrium Study on Electroplating Industry Effluent using
Albizialebbeck
D. Sivakumar1, T.Siddharth2, V.Dhananjeyan3, S.Sathish Kumar4
1
Professor,2,3,4Student, Department of Civil Engineering,
Vel Tech High Tech Dr.RangarajanDr.Sakunthala Engineering College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Email:shri.sivakumar1974@gmail.com
Abstract––The total dissolved solids and
sulphate in an electroplating industry effluent was
removed using Albizialebbeck pod powder, which
was studied by batch method. The effect of rapid
mixing contact time, slow mixing contact time and
adsorbent dosage for removing total dissolved
solids and sulphate in an electroplating industry
effluent have been evaluated. The results of the
present study indicated that the maximum
adsorption capacity of Albizialebbeckpod powder
for removing total dissolved solids and sulphate in
an electroplating industry effluent was 86.4 and
88.8 %. The Freundlich isotherm model was fitted
to the experimental data of electroplating industry
effluent. Based on experimental and model
studies, Albizialebbeckpod powder is effectively
used as adsorbent for removing TDS and sulphate
in an electroplating industry effluent.
Index Terms––Electroplating Industry
Effluent, AlbiziaLebbeck Pod Powder, Process
Parameters, Isotherm Model
I.INTRODUCTION
Electroplating units have potential to generate
the effluent consisting of heavy metals like
chromium, copper, zinc, cadmium etc. and various
organic compounds such as phenols, formaldehyde
etc. The toxicity of the effluent obviously depends on
the concentration of the respective metals as well as
duration and type of discharge. With the increasing
use of variety of heavy metals in electroplating
industry problem may arise from potential toxicity in
the environment to a great extent.
With a view to recycle and reuse the wastewater,
adsorption process was adopted as single stage
treatment instead of the existing physical, chemical
and biological methods. The greatest advantage of
this method is that desired materials are separated
from a solution by a simple and compact process,
producing less secondary waste. Other advantages are
large active surface area for a given mass of particles,
and the ability to process a solution that contains
suspended solids.
Exploration of good low cost and non-
conventional adsorbent may contribute to the
sustainability of the environment and offer promising
benefits for the commercial purpose in future. The
239
costs of the activated carbon prepared from
biomaterials are negligible when compared to the cost
of commercial activated carbon. Some of the
activated carbons used to treat the industrial
wastewater in the recent past are, corncob, groundnut
husk, rice husk, tea leaves carbon, saw dust,
eucalyptus bark, and agricultural wastes. Further, in
the laboratory and field studies, seed of moriga
oleifera (as a coagulant) was used for treating water.
This paper dealt with effect of initial
concentration of Albizialebbeckpod powder for
removing total dissolved solids (TDS) and sulphate in
the electroplating industry effluent at different
dosages, different rapid mixing contact time and
different slow mixing contact time. The adsorption
study is also extended to isotherm points of view.
II.MATERIALS AND METHODS
The entire experimental work was planned in
three distinct phases which include preparation of
coagulant using Albizialebbeckpod powder (Phase I),
collection of electroplating industry effluent (Phase
II) and experiments for determining the suitability of
Albizialebbeckpod powder in removing TDS and
sulphate present in the electroplating industry effluent
(Phase III).
Phase I
Albizialebbeckpod in dried form was collected
from the Vel Tech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan
Dr.Sakunthala Engineering College Campus. The pod
was pulverized and sieved through
0.60 µm sieve (Photo 1). 1000 mg of powdered form
of Albizialebbeckpod was taken for conducting the
experiments and the remaining quantity was kept in
the refrigerator at a temperature of 5 °C. This method
is used to avoid the decomposition of powder,
because the Albizialebbeckpod powder is an agro-
based product.
 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.53 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm
Photo 1 Pulverized form ofAlbiziaLebbeckPod
Albizialebbeckis native to deciduous and
semideciduous forests in Asia from eastern Pakistan
through India and Sri Lanka to Burma. The tree has
been introduced as an ornamental and plantation tree
throughout the tropics and northern subtropics,
including the Greater and Lesser Antilles, Central
America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil.
Albizialebbeckis a fast-growing, medium-sized
deciduous tree with a spreading umbrella-shaped
crown of thin foliage and smoothish, finely fissured,
grayish-brown bark. Depending on site conditions,
annual height growth ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 m. The
species grows well from sea level to 1500 m on sites
receiving between 500 and 2500 mm annual rainfall
and tolerates both light frosts and drought. While it
grows poorly on heavy clay soils, ittolerates saline,
sodic, and lateritic sites.
Phase II
Electroplating industry effluent from the
Ambatur Industrial Estate was collected with the help
of air tight bottles. The quality was analyzed using
standard procedure (APHA, 2005). The primary
focus of the present study is to reduce the TDS and
sulphate concentrations in the electroplating industry
effluent using Albizialebbeckpod powder at various
initial concentrations. The initial TDS and sulphate
values in the electroplating industry effluent are given
in Table 1.
TABLE 1 PROPERTIES OF
ELECTROPLATING INDUSTRY EFFLUENT
Electroplating
Properties
Industry Effluent
TDS, mg/l 2758.0
Sulphate, mg/l 1435.0
Phase III
In the present study, the Phipps and Bird jar test
apparatus was used for evaluating and optimizing the
adsorption process. This method consists of batch
experiments involving rapid mixing at the rotational
240
speed of 100 rpm, slow mixing at the rotational speed
of 20 rpm and sedimentation for a period of 60 min.
Electroplating industry effluent was filled in four
glass beakers of 1 litre capacity and was kept in the
Phipps and Bird jar test apparatus for agitation. In the
apparatus, rotational speeds could be varied between
0 to 100 rpm for enhancing flocculation process. In
the present investigation, the experiments were
performed at different adsorbent dosage of 20 g/l to
140 g/l with an increment of 20 g/l, different rapid
mixing contact time of 3 min. to 21 min. with an
increment of 3 min. and different slow mixing contact
time of 5 min. to 30 min. with an interval of 5 min.).
Clear wastewater from each beaker after settlement
was collected for analyzing TDS and sulphate.
The concentrations of TDS and sulphate in the
electroplating industry effluent before and after
equilibrium were determined as per standard
procedure given by APHA (2005). The equilibrium
experimental data for TDS and sulphate is used to fit
Fruendlich isotherm model. Using a mass balance,
the concentrations of TDS and sulphate at different
time adsorbed by Albizialebbeckpod powder was
calculated as
(C 0 − C t )V
qt =
M
where qt is the amount of TDS and sulphate adsorbed
by Albizia lebbeck pod powder at time t, C0 is the
initial concentration of TDS and sulphate, Ct is
aqueous phase concentration of TDS and sulphate at
time t, V is the volume of the aqueous phase, Mis the
weight of Albizia lebbeck pod powder.
III.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A. Effect ofAlbizia lebbeck pod powder Dosage
Fig.1 shows the effect of Albizia lebbeck pod
powder as adsorbent dose on TDS and sulphate
reduction in an electroplating industry effluent with a
rapid mixing contact time of 10 min. and 0 dilution
ratios (using initial concentration). From Fig.1, it
may be observed that up to 100 g/l of Albizia lebbeck
pod powder dosage, concentration of TDS and
sulphate in an electroplating industry effluent
decrease, beyond which they increase. In otherwords,
the reduction of TDS and sulphate in an
electroplating industry effluent increase, beyond
which they decrease.
 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.53 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm

mixing contact time for which the maximum removal

100.0 TDS Sulphate of TDS and sulphate occurs is 50 min. (Fig.1).
90.0 Further, an optimum rapid mixing contact time (50
80.0 min.), which is corresponding to the lowest residual
Percentage Removal
TDS and sulphate obtained for an electroplating
70.0 industry effluent were 488.16 mg/l and 220.99 mg/l
60.0 respectively.
50.0
100.0 TDS Sulphate
40.0
30.0

Percentage Removal
80.0
20.0
10.0 60.0
0.0
50 0 100 150 40.0
Adsorbent Dosage, g/l
Fig.1 The effect of Albizia lebbeck pod powder as 20.0
adsorbent dose on TDS and sulphate reduction in
an electroplating industry effluent 0.0
20 40 60 0 80
The percentage reduction in concentration of Rapid Mixing Contact Time, min.
TDS for a Albizia lebbeck pod powder dosage of 20,
40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 g/l respectively were found to Fig.2 The effect of rapid mixing contact time on
be 36.8 %, 52.3 %, 65.3 %, 72.2 %, 78.5 % and 70.2 TDS and sulphate reduction in an electroplating
%. Similarly, the percentage reduction in industry effluent
concentration of sulphate for the dose of 20, 40, 60,
80, 100 and 120 g/l respectively were found to be C. Effect of Dilution Ratio
42.5 %, 55.3 %, 68.3 %, 74.6 %, 81.6 % and 72.8 %.
Fig.3 shows the effect of dilution ratio on
Thus, an optimum dosage for which the maximum
removal of TDS and sulphate in an electroplating
removal of TDS and sulphate occurs is 100 g/l
industry effluent with an optimum adsorbent dose of
(Fig.1). Further, an optimum dosage (100 g/l), which
100 g/l and optimum rapid mixing contact time of 50
is corresponding to the lowest residual TDS and
min. From Fig.3, it may be observed that upto 5
sulphate obtained for an electroplating industry
dilution ratio, concentration of TDS and sulphate in
effluent were 592.97 mg/l and 264.04 mg/l
an electroplating industry effluent decrease, beyond
respectively.
which they increase. In otherwords, the reduction of
TDS and sulphate in an electroplating industry
B. Effect of Rapid Mixing Contact Time
effluent increase, beyond which they decrease.
Fig.2 shows the effect of rapid mixing contact 100.0 TDS Sulphate
time on removal of TDS and sulphate in an
electroplating industry effluent with an optimum
Percentage Removal

80.0
adsorbent dose of 100 g/l and 0 dilution ratios (using
initial concentration). From Fig.3, it may be
observed that upto 50 min., concentration of TDS and 60.0
sulphate in an electroplating industry effluent
decrease, beyond which they increase. In otherwords, 40.0
the reduction of TDS and sulphate in an
electroplating industry effluent increase, beyond 20.0
which they decrease.
0.0
The percentage reduction in concentration of 2 0 4 6
TDS for a rapid mixing contact time of 0, 10, 20, 30, Dilution Ratio
40, 50, and 60 min. respectively were found to be 0.0 Fig.3 The effect of dilution ratio on TDS and
% 20.5 %, 42.2 %, 64.8 %, 76.5 %, 82.3 % and 75.6 sulphate reduction in an electroplating
%. Similarly, the percentage reduction in industry effluent
concentration of sulphate for a rapid mixing contact
time of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min. respectively The percentage reduction in concentration of
were found to be 0.0 %, 23.9 %, 45.2 %, 69.3 %, 78.2 TDS for a dilution ratio of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
%, 84.6 % and 77.4 %. Thus, an optimum rapid respectively were found to be 38.8 %, 54.7 %, 67.8

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 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.53 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm

%, 74.1 %,% 79.6 % an nd 86.2 %. Similarly, thee data of TDDS and sulphaate in an electrooplating industtry
percentagee reduction in concentration n of sulphate a effluent and
a is presentedd in Figs.4 and d 5 respectivelyy.
dilution rattio of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 resspectively weree
found to be 44.2 %, 56.3 3 %, 69.8 %, 76.2
7 %, 83.1 %
and 88.8 %.% Thus, an optimum dilu ution ratio forr 3.5
which the maximum rem moval of TDS S and sulphatee TDS
occurs is 5. (Fig.2). Fuurther, an opttimum dilutionn 3.0
ratio (5), which is coorresponding to t the lowest
residual TDS and sulphate s obtaained for ann 2.5
electroplating industry efffluent were 3880.60 mg/l andd

Log qe
160.72 mg g/l respectively. 2.0

1.5
D. Isotherrm Study
1.0
Adsorrption isotherm ms are mathem matical modelss y = 0.46
60x + 1.625
that describbe the distribu
ution of the adssorbate speciess 0.5 R² = 0.963
among liqquid and adsoorbent, based on a set off
assumptionns that are mainly rellated to thee 0.0
heterogeneeity/homogeneiity of adsorben nts, the type off 2.0 2.55 3.00 3.55
coverage and
a possibilityy of interaction between thee Log Ce
adsorbate species.
s Fig.4F
Freundlich Adssorption Isoth
herm for TDS
2.8
Adsorrption data area usually described byy 2.8 Sulphatte
adsorption isotherms, such as LangmuirL andd 2.7
Freundlichh isotherms. These
T isotherm
ms relate metaal
uptake peer unit mass of adsorben nt, qe, to thee 2.7
equilibrium
m adsorbate cooncentration inn the bulk fluidd 2.6
Log qe

phase Ce. 2.6

2.5
The Freundlich
F isottherm model is an empiricaal
2.5
relationshipp describing thhe adsorption of
o solutes fromm
a liquid to a solid surfacce and assumes that different 2.4
sites with several
s adsorpttion energies arre involved. 2.4 y = 0.830x + 0.221
2.3 R² = 0.969
Freunddlich adsorp ption isotheerm is thee
2.3
relationshipp between thee amounts adssorbed per unit
mass of ad dsorbent, qe, and
a the concen ntration of thee 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0
Log Ce
nickel at eqquilibrium, Ce.
Fig.5Freundlich Adsorrption Isotherrm for Sulphaate

It cann be seen from

m Figs.4 and 5 that
t the isotherrm
t Freundlichh equation welll (R2=0.9638 for
data fits the f
TDS andd 0.9696 for sulphate). From F Fig.4, thhe
The loogarithmic form
m of the equation becomes,
values off Kf andn were found to be 1.62 and 0.615 for
f
the parammeter TDS. Frrom Fig.7, the values of Kf annd
n were foound to be 0.2221 and 1.12foor the parametter
sulphate. 0.0071 L/mg ffor the parameter sulphate.
where, Kf and n are thhe Freundlich constants, thee
characterisstics of the system. Kf andn are thee IV.CO
ONCLUSION
N
indicators of the adsorpttion capacity and
a adsorptionn
intensity, respectively.
r F this case, the plot of logg
For The experiments hhave been perfformed to knoow
Cevs log qewas employeed to generatee the intercept the effect of Albiziaa lebbeck po od powder for f
value of Kfand the slope of n. removingg TDS and sulphate
s in thhe electroplatinng
industry effluent.
e The eexperimental daata were fitted to
The experimental results obtaained for thee Freundlicch isotherm m model. Thee results of thhe
present sttudy indicated that the adsorpption capacity of
optimum adsorbent
a dosaage of 100 g/ll, rapid mixingg
Albizia leebbeck pod poowder for rem moving TDS annd
contact tim
me of 50 min. against the diffferent dilutionn sulphate in the elecctroplating inndustry efflueent
ratio is useed to fit the iso
otherm model. In this studyy, d with decreasing of initial concentration.
increased c It
Freundlichh isotherm wass used to fit thhe experimentaal was also found that thee maximum ad dsorption by thhe

242
 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.53 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm

Albizia lebbeck pod powder for removing TDS and
sulphate in the electroplating industry effluent found
to be 86.2 % and 88.8 % respectively and were
obtained at an optimum dosage of 100 mg/l,
concentration dilution of 5 and rapid mixing contact
time of 50 min. Based on the results obtained from
the isotherm model, it was found that the equilibrium
data fitted well with Freundlinch isotherm model.
Thus, the results of experimental and model studies
indicated that use of Albizia lebbeck pod powder for
removing TDS and sulphate in the electroplating
industry effluent seems to be an economical and
worthwhile alternative over conventional methods.
Study, Pollution Research EM International, 33 (3) :
27-31.
[14] SivakumarDurairaj (2012). Adsorption Study on
Municipal Solid Waste Leachate using Moringa
oleifera Seed. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2013) 10,
pp. 113-124.
[15] D. Sivakumar, N. Murugan, R. Rajeshwaran,
T. Shobana, C. Soundarya, V.S. Vanitha, Role of Rice
Husk Silica Powder for removing Cr (VI) in a Tannery
Industry Wastewater, International Journal of
ChemTech Research, 2014, 6(9), 4373-4378.

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