The effects of solution pH and temperature on the adsorption of fluoride onto bone char made from cattle bones were investigated in this work. It was found that the maximum adsorption took place at pH 3 and the adsorption capacity decreased nearly 20 times augmenting the pH from 3 to 12. This behavior was attributed to the electrostatic interactions between the surface of bone char and the fluoride ions in solution. The adsorption capacity was not influenced by temperature in the range from 15 to 35 °C. A comparison of fluoride adsorption capacities among several adsorbents revealed that the adsorption capacity of the bone char was 2.8 and 36 times greater than those of a commercial activated alumina (F-1) and a commercial activated carbon (F-400). The adsorption capacity is considerably dependent upon the physicochemical properties of the bone char surface and the solution pH.

The adsorption isotherm of cadmium on activated carbon was measured in a batch adsorber. Effects of temperature and solution pH on the adsorption isotherm were investigated by determining the adsorption isotherm at temperatures of 10, 25, and 40°C and at initial pH values from 2 to 8. Langmuir isotherm better fitted the experimental data since the average percent deviation was lower than with the Freundlich isotherm It was noticed that the amount of Cd2+ adsorbed was reduced about 3 times by increasing the temperature from 10 to 40°C. It was found that Cd2+ was not adsorbed on activated carbon at pH of 2 or lower and that Cd2+ was precipitated out as Cd(OH)2 at pH values above 9. Maximum adsorption capacity was observed at pH of 8 and the adsorption capacity was decreased about 12 times by reducing the initial pH from 8 to 3. According to the cadmium speciation diagram the predominant species below pH of 8 is Cd2+. Thus, cadmium was adsorbed on the activated carbon surface as Cd2+. It was concluded that the adsorption capacity is a strong function of pH and temperature.

The adsorption of chromium (III) onto activated carbon was investigated as a possible alternative method for its removal from aqueous solutions. The adsorption data were obtained in a batch adsorber and fitted the Langmuir adsorption isotherm well. The effect of pH on the adsorption isotherm was investigated at pH values of 2, 4, 5 and 6. It was found that at pH values below 2 the Cr(III) was not adsorbed and at pH values above 6.4 the Cr(III) was precipitated as Cr(OH)3. Maximum adsorption occurred at pH 5. The pH plays a very important role in the adsorption of Cr(III) since Cr(III) can form different complexes in aqueous solutions. The adsorption capacity was increased by about 20% as the temperature was raised from 25 to 40°C. It was concluded that Cr(III) is adsorbed to an appreciable extent on activated carbon and that the adsorption is highly dependent upon pH.

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