In Amazonia, chromium is mainly used in the leather and wood industries. It is responsible for many health problems, because of its toxicity. These industries remove chromium waste by various processes, such as adsorption. This work shows the results of Cr(VI) adsorption by commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) as adsorbent from diluted solutions, and batch systems with controlled pH. The functional groups on the CAG surface was carried out by the Boehm method. In addition, effect of pH on the Cr(VI) adsorption, adsorption equilibrium, and kinetic were studied under experimental conditions (pH = 6, MA = 6g, for 90min.). On the GAC surface, carboxylic groups were found to be in higher concentrations (MAS=0,43 mmol/gCAG), which increase the Cr(VI) adsorption, principally in acidic pH values. The adsorption capacity is dependent on the pH of the solution, due to its influence on the surface properties of the CAG and different ionic forms of the Cr(VI) solutions. The adsorption equilibrium data was adjusted satisfactorily by the Langmuir isotherm (R²=0,988), favorable type. From kinetics adsorption of 20 mg/L and 5 mg/L, the results were compatible with the national legislation (Res. nº 357/05). Therefore, the experimental system using (CAG) was efficient in removing the Cr(VI) from liquid streams containing low concentrations of the metal.
Adsorption; Chromium (VI); GAC
