Abstract

• In this study, waste fishscale and seashell were used as biosorbents for the removal of surfactants from industrial wastewater. These biosorbents were collected from fish market in Pathein Township, Ayeyarwady Region. The selected samples were washed with distilled water for three times and were soaked in 3 % nitric acid for 24 h and then were washed again with distilled water until pH 7 and dried in an oven at 105˚C and were made to powder form. The physiocochemical properties such as moisture content, bulk density and pH of raw fishscale powder (RFSP) and raw seashell powder (RSSP) were determined by conventional methods and characterized by modern techniques such as EDXRF, SEM, TG-DTA and FT IR analyses. RFSP and RSSP were calcined at various temperatures (400˚C to 1000 ˚C) to obtain heat activated fishscale powder 1-7 (HAFSP 1-7) and heat activated seashell powder 1-7 (HASSP 1-7). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) were obtained as 7x10-3 M, 7x10-3 M, 7x10-3 M, 4x10-3 M, 6x10-3 M and 5x10-3 M at pH 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively. From these results, 7x10-3 M at pH 3 and 5x10-3 M at pH 6 were selected as optima CMC of SDS. The adsorption properties of different biosorbents (HAFSP-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) and (HASSP-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) were compared for the removal of SDS at pH 3 and 6. According to these analyses, HAFSP-5 and HASSP-7 were found to be more effective than other samples. Adsorption capacities of HAFSP-5 and HASSP-7 were determined at different contact time and pH by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer at λmax 498 nm and 25˚C. The optimum contact time was 60 min and pH were 3 and 6 respectively for the removal of SDS solution from the paper industrial wastewater by HAFSP-5 and HASSP-7. The outcome of the present research is the preparation of waste biosorbents for the removal of anionic surfactants from the paper industrial wastewater.