Removal of chromium(vi) and sulphate from leather industry wastewaters with different activated carbon adsorptions

The characterization of wastewater originating from the leather industry has a complex structure and contains high amounts of organic and inorganic substances. Many treatment methods have been tried in the literature for the treatment of leather wastewater. In this study, sulphate and chromium (VI) removal was investigated by adsorption method. The removal efficiencies of these activated carbons were compared by using two different types of activated carbon as adsorbent. Adsorbents were added to wastewater in different doses, at different times and at different pH, and their effect on the adsorption was investigated in these variables. As a result of the study, it was determined that the removal efficiency obtained as a result of the adsorption with granular activated carbon as the adsorbent was higher than the coconut activated carbon at pH=4, where removal was high in both adsorbents. Since the highest adsorption efficiency was achieved after 60 minutes of mixing in sulphate removal, the turning point was 60 minutes, and the turning point was determined as 120 minutes, since the highest adsorption efficiency was reached after 120 minutes of mixing in chromium (VI) removal.