Abstract:
The present research work focuses on the removal of Chromium (III) from
industrial waste water using the technique of wet chemical ferrite process resulting
in ferrite in the nanoparticle range. Using synthetic waste water containing
Chromium (VI) this study investigated the efficient removal of Chromium (VI) by
precipitating the metal as Chromium ferrite, the supernatant obtained being
analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Efficiency of the removal
has been observed by varying the Fe2+/Cr3+ weight ratio from 10 to 20, the reaction
pH from 9 to 12 and reaction time from 1 to 3 hours. The most efficient removal of
Chromium (<0.5ppm) was achieved for a weight ratio of 18 at pH 12 and the
reaction time of 1 hr. Decreasing the pH influenced the sludge particle morphology
and magnetization, with decrease in percent removal of Chromium. The produced
sludge was characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron
Microscopy (SEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). XRD results
confirmed the pure spinel phase formation of Chromium ferrite. SEM images
confirmed the homogenous particles with size ranging from 22 nm to 116 nm with
decrease in pH from 12 to 9. M-H curves from VSM showed strong magnetic
properties for Chromium ferrite sludge obtained at pH 12 and Fe2+/Cr3+ weight
ratio 18. TCLP results confirmed the stability and non-toxic nature of the ferrite
sludge.
