Comparative Study of Hydrothermally Synthesized AlPO4-5, Activated Carbon, and the Combination of Activated Carbon and AlPO4-5 Filters in the Treatment of Wastewater and Industrial Effluent

摘要

Wastewater and industrial effluent are among the major polluted water, which is disposed without proper treatment. This polluted water requires an efficient and low-cost method of treatment such that its effect on the environment is minimized. The conventional method is easy and cheaper, but its efficiency is not up to the mark. In such case, we need an efficient method of treatment which yields good results. New technologies are emerging to improve the existing operations. One such technology is the use of zeolite. The present article aims at the development of a method which involves filtration using synthesized AlPO4-5 and commercial activated carbon (AC) separately and also with their combination. The hydrothermal technique was employed for the synthesis of AlPO4-5. The synthesized compound was characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and positron annihilation lifetime measurements. The efficiency of the filters was testified based on the parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, carbonate and bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and test for heavy metal. It was observed that AC, AlPO4-5, and the combination of AlPO4-5 and AC serve effectively when used as filters in the treatment of wastewater and industrial effluent. The reduction of chemical oxygen demand in a wastewater sample of 176 to 56 mg/L using the combination of AlPO4-5 and AC confirms the destruction of organics present in the sample. Pearson correlation coefficient analyses of the obtained results infer that most of the parameters are significantly correlated at 1 % level. The solutions received are encouraging, and further study is being posted out using different varieties of zeolite of different thickness and their combinations.