Research Article
Efficient Sequestration of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution Using
Biosorbent Derived from Arundo donax Stem
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai ,
1
Bishnu Datt Pant ,
1
Rajan Rai ,
1
Ram Lochan Aryal ,
2
Hari Paudyal ,
2
Surendra Kumar Gautam ,
1
Kedar Nath Ghimire,
2
Megh Raj Pokhrel,
2
and Bhoj Raj Poudel
1,2
1
Department of Chemistry, Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
2
Central Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Correspondence should be addressed to Bhoj Raj Poudel; bhoj.poudel@trc.tu.edu.np
Received 2 July 2022; Revised 29 September 2022; Accepted 1 October 2022; Published 14 October 2022
Academic Editor: Tianlong Deng
Copyright © 2022 Krishna Prasad Bhattarai et al. is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons
Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is
properly cited.
e potential of a biosorbent derived from Arundo donax stem, a readily available agricultural product, was examined to remove
Cr(VI) from water. Various techniques such as XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDX were used for the characterization of the prepared
adsorbent. e optimal pH for Cr(VI) biosorption was found to be 2.0. e experimental data best suits the Langmuir isotherm
model and pseudosecond-order kinetics. e maximum biosorption capacity (q
max
) of the investigated biosorbent for Cr(VI) was
evaluated to be 76.92 mg/g by the Langmuir model. From the results of the Cr(VI) biosorption using charred Arundo donax stem
powder (CADSP), it can be a novel, cost-efficient, and effective material for removing Cr(VI) from water and wastewater.
1. Introduction
Humans and other living species require water to survive.
Various water sources, including springs, streams, canals,
reservoirs, wells, and rivers, are polluted because of human
activity. Major contaminants of water include suspended
matter, waste and chemical contamination, direct discharge
of effluents, and oxygen depletion. Heavy metals and met-
alloids are among the most common chemical contami-
nants, and because of their toxicity and carcinogenicity, they
constitute a significant source of water contamination [1].
Because heavy metals can be found in significant con-
centrations in industrial wastewater, it is cleaned before being
disposed of to prevent water pollution. Heavy metals are
present in high proportion in the wastewater released into the
receiving water body, which will have major negative effects
on the ecosystem and cause a variety of diseases and
problems [2]. Industrial growth, urbanization, and anthro-
pogenic pollution are examples of human activities that
contribute to heavy metals occurrence and accumulation in
the surroundings. Heavy metal ions such as Cu(II), Cr(VI)/
Cr(III), Cd(II), As(III)/As(V), Pb(II), Hg(II), Ni(II), and
Zn(II) are commonly detected in contaminated water [3].
Chromium is a highly harmful heavy metal that can be
found in a variety of industrial and polluted effluents. Lung
cancer, ulcers, nasal septum perforation, nervous system,
and renal damage are all caused by chromium (VI) [4].
Cr(VI) compounds can cause skin disorders when they come
into contact with the skin. Because of its oxidizing capacity
and the creation of free-radicals during the conversion of
Cr(VI) to Cr(III) [5]. Numerous industrial processes, such as
metal polishing, iron and steel production, and chemical
manufacture, emit heavy metals into the atmosphere [6]. In
nature, mainly Cr(III) and Chromium (VI) are persistent
enough to be detected; however, they can be found in a range
of oxidation states. e hexavalent type is more harmful than
the trivalent one, which is linked to cancer and mutation [7].
Cr(VI) is commonly excreted as oxyanions like chromate
and dichromate ions in wastewater, and the latter is the most
harmful. Due to its acute lethal effects on human health, the
WHO set a maximum exposure limit for Cr(VI) in drinkable
water of 0.05 mg/L [8].
Hindawi
Journal of Chemistry
Volume 2022, Article ID 9926391, 12 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9926391