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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Lead is a frequently used heavy metal in the industry which is a soft, dense, and

ductile material. It is used in the production of batteries, fuel, pipes, electric light, cable

sheaths, and machineries. Lead plates were useful to resist corrosion and radiation which

paved the way for shipbuilding and medicine. Despite its wide use, Lead is one of the toxic

heavy metals which pose a serious health risk because it has adverse effects on the nervous,

respiratory, and reproductive systems. It can also cause kidney failure and anemia (Ahmad

et al., 2014).

Reaction of lead with other substances can produce organic lead compounds

which is more dangerous soluble than pure lead (Tiwari et al.,2014). Moreover, rains can

have negative effect on bodies of water via the “flushing-effect” due to the flushed lead

which is present in run-off areas and coastlines. Studies show that during wet season, the

levels of lead are relatively high. In the USA, water is considered as the largest controllable

source of lead exposure (World Health Organization, 2011).

Various studies of lead analyses were done in the Philippines. In Metro-Manila,

the harmful leves of Lead were detected in tap water sources, deep well sources and in food

such as fish and rice (Solidum, 2014). Moreover, a study in Bustos, Bulacan established

that the mean Lead concentration found in the Angat River Network exceeds the legal limit

for lead by approximately 30 times (Estrella et al., 2014). According to Molina (2011),

high levels of lead contamination were detected in fish products such as the bangus, tilapia,
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dalag, maliling, and kanduli from Laguna lake. The study shows that the consumption of

these products is associated with increasing cancer risks.

Adsorption is one of the physical processes in treating heavy metal

contaminants in water such as lead. This process is more effective and economical in

treating water as compared to coagulation-flocculation, filtration, and ionization.

In this study, the adsorbent will be utilized from rice husk ash. Rice husk is an

agricultural waste product from the combustion of rice husk (Patra et al., 2017). The

adsorbent is powdered to maximize its surface area, thus increasing the adsorbing capacity.

Moreover, the use of magnetic nanocomposite will be loaded in the adsorbent particles

which will ease the separation of the adsorbent from the effluent, which is the resulting

treated water. (Baghdadi et al., 2016).

1.2 Significance of the Study

In the Philippines, numerous bodies of water exceed the lead contamination

limit which is less than 0.01 ppm (Estrella et al., 2015). Since several studies show that

lead is a poisonous substance with adverse effects to health and the environment, the

treatment of lead in water is imminent. This study will use agricultural waste as a source

of adsorbent for the removal of lead by utilizing rice husk. The use of powdered adsorbents

is considered more efficient than granulated types. However, it is limited in large-scale

waster water treatment due to difficulty of separating the adsorbents from the effluent

(Baghdadi et al., 2016). Thus, the loading of magnetic nanocomposite to the adsorbents
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will significantly ease the separation of the adsorbent from the effluent, paving way for

more applications besides waste water treatment.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The overall objective of the study is to conduct the kinetic and parametric

studies on the adsorption of lead from aqueous waste water using magnetized adsorbent

synthesized from rice husk and magnetic nanocomposite (Fe3O4).

Specifically, this study aims to:

1. Determine the effect of Fe3O4-activated rice husk ratio, adsorbent

dosage, and initial concentration of heavy metals on adsorption

capacity;

2. Determine the optimal combination of parameters that will yield the

highest adsorption capacity;

3. Evaluate the kinetic parameters for the optimal combination of

factors using Freundlich Isotherm models.

1.4 Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study is limited to the adsorption of Lead (II) with the use of the following:

powdered biochar from activated rice husk loaded with magnetic nanoparticles as the

adsorbent, aqueous lead solution as the analyte for determination of adsorption kinetics,

and aqueous lead wastewater as waste sample.

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1.5 Time and Place of the Study

The study will be conducted from February 2019 to December 2019.

Experiments will be done at the Laboratory in the Department of Chemical Engineering,

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los

Banos, Laguna from May 2019 to December 2019.

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References:

Ahmad, S. A., Khan, M. H., Khandker, S., Sarwar, A. F. M., Yasmin, N., Faruquee, M. H., &
Yasmin, R. (2014). Blood Lead Levels and Health Problems of Lead Acid Battery Workers
in Bangladesh. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 1–7.
Baghdadi, M., Ghaffari, E., & Aminzadeh, B. (2016). Removal of
carbamazepine from municipal wastewater effluent using optimally
synthesized magnetic activated carbon: Adsorption and sedimentation
kinetic studies. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 4(3) 3309-
3321
Cakar, I. (2006). Usage of Lead in Industry adn Determination of Lead Exposure at battery
manufacturing. IGSUM .
Estrella, E. A., De Leon, M. S., De Regla, E. N., Duay, B. C., & Estrella, E. A. (2014-2015).
Determination of Lead Concentration of the Waters in the Angat River Network in Bustos,
Bulacan. International Journal of ChemTech Research, ISSN:0974-42090, Vol. 7, No. 4,
pp 1895-1901.
Organization, W. H. (2011). Lead in Drinking-water: Background document for development of
WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland: WHO Press.
Patra, J.M., Panda, S.S., & Dhal, N. K. (2017) Biochar as a low-cost
adsorbent for heavy metal removal: A review. International Journal of
Research in Biosciences, Vol. 6 issue 1, pp. 1-7.
Solidum, J. N. (2014). Heavy Metal Lead in Filipino Staple Food as Studied in
Metro Manila, Philippines. APCBEE Procedia, 9, 102–107.