Investigating Properties of Rice Husk for Contaminant Removal from Polluted Water
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Date
2011
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
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Contamination of ground and surface water by different pollutants is a major environmental problem. These pollutants are discharged by sources such as industries into natural water streams. Water pollutants are toxic to most aquatic organisms, human body and may cause denaturing of protein, tissue erosion, and paralysis of the central nervous system and also damage the kidneys, liver and pancreas. Most of the pollutants are toxic even at very low concentrations. Therefore, designing effective strategies to remove pollutants from water is of practical interest (Zhang et al., 2011).
Utilization of one waste material to control pollution caused by another is of high significance in the remediation of environmental problems. Rice husk is an abundantly available agricultural waste. The compositions of rice husk are 32% cellulose, 21% hemicellulose, 22% lignin and 15% mineral ash (Nakbanpote et al., 2007). Rice husks can be used as a low cost adsorbent (Tarley and Arruda, 2004). This research aimed to chemically modifying surface properties of rice husk to be used in waste water treatment. It would help to increase the volume of purified consumable water.
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Environmental Science, Biodiversity, Health Science, Science & Technology