6
0.01 meq/g and was the lowest. However, the surface area
of the material wasn’t increased and that compared to Lisa
Johnke’s second experiment was low -which the surface
area was increased. Material A proved very ineffective for
this experiment and we could conclude that perhaps it
works perfectly under certain perfect adjusted conditions
such as pH.
The material B—Activated coke showed a capacity
of 0.532 meq/g which was the second highest among the
three materials. This also compared well with the adsorp-
tion capacity achieved by Lisa Johnke who had a value of
0.61 meq/g. The material C – Biochar from the residues
and produced by the University showed the greatest capac-
ity of 1.690 meq/g and it must be noted that the experi-
ment didn’t get to exhaustion due to inadequate time. This
means that the material C is very effective for the removal
of zinc
D. Results of the Breakthrough Curves of Zn
The breakthrough curves also predict the effectiveness of
the materials. It can be seen that the material C shows a
perfect curve that is progressive from 2BV and stabilizes
around the BV44. For all the experiment a quicker break-
through was achieved mostly just after the sorption phase
at 2BV. Material A and B showed desorption in the experi-
ment indicating precipitation of the zinc at some points
in the experiment particularly when the initial concentra-
tion of the zinc was exceeded at the exhaustion points. The
breakthrough curves are shown in Figure 7, 8 and 9. From
the breakthrough curve of the material A- Activated coke,
we notice a very fast breakthrough with a high zinc concen-
tration value of more than 50% the initial concentration
zinc. It also reaches exhaustion just after the 18 BV which
was the third sampled.
E. Breakthrough Curves of Other Main Elements and
Its Influence on Adsorption Capacity
1) Experiment A: APTsorb
Considering Table 1 we see that the initial concentration of
Ca being 150 mg/L was not reached in this experiment but
rather there is a desorption of the Ca from the beginning of
the experiment at a concentration of 141.64 mg/L until it
reaches 128 mg/L. The material desorbs Mg which has an
initial concentration of 27.1 mg/L but this initial concen-
tration is not reached as it desorbs from 36.56 mg/L at the
Table 4. Results of the sorption of Zinc in the experiment
Material Name
Sorbed zinc
absolute [mg]
Desorbed zinc
absolute [meq]
Sorption capacity
[mg/g]
Sorption
capacity
[meq/g]
APTsorb A 1.75 –0.068 0.25 0.01
Activated coke B 87.00 –0.037 17.40 0.53
Charrred fermentation residue C 140.92 55.263 1.69
Figure 7. Breakthrough curve of Experiment A
Figure 8. Breakthrough curve of Experiment B
0.01 meq/g and was the lowest. However, the surface area
of the material wasn’t increased and that compared to Lisa
Johnke’s second experiment was low -which the surface
area was increased. Material A proved very ineffective for
this experiment and we could conclude that perhaps it
works perfectly under certain perfect adjusted conditions
such as pH.
The material B—Activated coke showed a capacity
of 0.532 meq/g which was the second highest among the
three materials. This also compared well with the adsorp-
tion capacity achieved by Lisa Johnke who had a value of
0.61 meq/g. The material C – Biochar from the residues
and produced by the University showed the greatest capac-
ity of 1.690 meq/g and it must be noted that the experi-
ment didn’t get to exhaustion due to inadequate time. This
means that the material C is very effective for the removal
of zinc
D. Results of the Breakthrough Curves of Zn
The breakthrough curves also predict the effectiveness of
the materials. It can be seen that the material C shows a
perfect curve that is progressive from 2BV and stabilizes
around the BV44. For all the experiment a quicker break-
through was achieved mostly just after the sorption phase
at 2BV. Material A and B showed desorption in the experi-
ment indicating precipitation of the zinc at some points
in the experiment particularly when the initial concentra-
tion of the zinc was exceeded at the exhaustion points. The
breakthrough curves are shown in Figure 7, 8 and 9. From
the breakthrough curve of the material A- Activated coke,
we notice a very fast breakthrough with a high zinc concen-
tration value of more than 50% the initial concentration
zinc. It also reaches exhaustion just after the 18 BV which
was the third sampled.
E. Breakthrough Curves of Other Main Elements and
Its Influence on Adsorption Capacity
1) Experiment A: APTsorb
Considering Table 1 we see that the initial concentration of
Ca being 150 mg/L was not reached in this experiment but
rather there is a desorption of the Ca from the beginning of
the experiment at a concentration of 141.64 mg/L until it
reaches 128 mg/L. The material desorbs Mg which has an
initial concentration of 27.1 mg/L but this initial concen-
tration is not reached as it desorbs from 36.56 mg/L at the
Table 4. Results of the sorption of Zinc in the experiment
Material Name
Sorbed zinc
absolute [mg]
Desorbed zinc
absolute [meq]
Sorption capacity
[mg/g]
Sorption
capacity
[meq/g]
APTsorb A 1.75 –0.068 0.25 0.01
Activated coke B 87.00 –0.037 17.40 0.53
Charrred fermentation residue C 140.92 55.263 1.69
Figure 7. Breakthrough curve of Experiment A
Figure 8. Breakthrough curve of Experiment B