Removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater using fly ash on pilot scale

Abstract

The separation of Cu, Zn and Fe ions from industrial wastewater using fly ash (FA) was applied and evaluated. Fly ash was developed from Mazut's incineration, used in brick factories. Fly ash has been dried and sieved into various particles size (600, 300, 150, 75μm). A pilot plant with flow rate 200 L/ hr of industrial wastewater discharge was designed and implemented. The process was conducted to study the efficiency of Cu, Zn and Fe ions removal from industrial wastewater using fly ash. Efficient reduction of heavy metals in presence of micro-particles of fly ash is achieved up to 100 %. Concentrations of fly ash are used within the range of 5-15 g / L. Low cost adsorbent shows high efficient removal from industrial wastewater of Cu, Zn , and Fe.