AMMONIA AND COD REMOVAL FROM SYNTHETIC LEACHATE USING RICE HUSK COMPOSITE ADSORBENT

Ammonia and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were the most two problematic parameters in the landfill leachate. In this study, a new composite adsorbent derived from rice husk ash waste is evaluated with respect to its ability to remove these contaminants from synthetic leachate. Results indicate that the new composite adsorbent is able to adsorb both ammonia and COD. It has a higher adsorption capacity for ammonia (Q = 2.2578 mg/g) and an almost equal adsorption capacity for COD (Q = 2.8893) when compared with commercially activated carbon. The adsorption kinetics of this new product for ammonia and COD were primarily represented by the pseudo second-order mechanism. The overall adsorption rate of the ammonia and COD adsorption processes appears to be determined by chemisorption process. The regenerated composite adsorbent indicated higher adsorption capacities of ammonia and COD, i.e. 12.9366 mg/g and 3.1162 mg/g, respectively.