Solid-phase Extraction of 4-Nitrophenol from Aqueous Solution by Brachystegia eurycoma Seed Hulls
David Jane *
Department of Medical Biotechnology, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria
J. C. Igwe
Department of Medical Biotechnology, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria
V. A. Ajibola
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
F. O. Okibe
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The adsorption of 4-Nitrophenol in aqueous solution by B. eurycoma seed hull was studied under the influence of environmental factors. Our result showed that 0.5 g B. eurycoma seed hull can effectively achieve 98% removal of 4-Nitrophenol at pH 12, temperature 25°C, 40 mins contact time, 8 mg/Linitial concentration of 4-Nitrophenol. From the data obtained in this research, the adsorption process did not fit into the Langmuir isotherm (RL value = 0.002593) but followed the Freundlich isotherm (n = 2.04). This showed that B. eurycoma seed hulls can be used to adsorb 4-nitrophenol from aqueous solution and also used in environmental phytoremediation.
Keywords: B. eurycoma seed hull, Phytoremediation, 4-Nitrophenol, environmental factors