ELIMINATION DES NITRATES PAR ADSORPTION SUR CHARBON ACTIF EN POUDRE

Abstract

The aim of this work is to test the effectiveness of powdered activated carbon (PAC) as adsorbent for retention of nitrates, and to study the effect of various reaction parameters on the removal of this compound by the PAC in synthetic solutions of distilled water. The results we obtained indicated that the use of PAC result at a good retention of nitrate after 1 hour 30 minutes of contact. The pH of treatment affects the nitrate removal efficiencies. The maximum removal is obtained at pH 4. Denitrification rates increase with increasing the dose of the adsorbent in the range 0,1 to 4 g/l for an initial content of nitrate equal to 40 mg/l. Langmuir and Freundlich models are perfectly appropriate to the results obtained. In the initial concentration of nitrate ranging from 5 to100 mg / liter of distilled water and a constant dose of adsorbent (1 g/l), the use of the PAC appears to be effective for waters loaded by this pollutant