BIOREMEDIATION OF BLACKSMITH WASTE WATER

The application of activated melon husk as an adsorbent in remediating heavy metals from industrial wastewater is increasingly being embraced. Agro wastes activated melon husk adsorbents have proven to be more suitable and cost effective than the conventional wastewater treatment methods for the remediation. In this work, the shell of melon (melon husk) were modified and applied for the adsorption removal of Iron and Lead ions. The melon husk was activated using H2SO4 reactive agents. After which the adsorbent were then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). An adsorption study was then conducted; the wastewater were treated with activated adsorbent at a dosage 1.0g with a reaction time of 0 to 100 minutes at 10 minutes intervals and at constant speed of 150 rpm. The characterization study indicates that the melon husk ask is suitable for use as an adsorbent and the adsorption study indicate that the removal rate of these heavy metals varies with changes in activation method, contact time and adsorbent dosage. On the effect of dosage, the Melon husk activated (MHA) removed Iron ions between 23.28% - 75.94% for the activation agents at optimum dosage of 1.0g. While, 34.63% - 76.46% of Lead ions were adsorbed at dosage of 1.0g for activation agent H2SO4.On the effect of contact time, equilibrium for removal of Iron (Fe2+) and Lead (Pb4+) was reached at an average contact time of 50-60minutes for the activation agent. It was thus concluded that the Melon Husk Activated (MHA) was more effective for removal of Lead (Pb4+) ions and removal of Iron (Fe2+) ions