Chromium removal from tannery effluents by adsorption process via activated carbon chat stems (Catha edulis) using response surface methodology

OBJECTIVE: In tannery processing, water consumption is high, which generates wastewater as a by-product and numerous pollutants such as chromium heavy metals that make adverse effects of water bodies and the surrounding environment. This study analyzed, chromium (VI) removal from wastewater through activated carbon chat stem was investigated. Adsorption is a common treatment method via activated carbon due to its cost-effective, profitable, and removal efficiency of these heavy metals. RESULTS: The proximate analysis of moisture content of chat stem has 6%, activated carbon ash content of 17.35%, volatile materials of 20.12%, and fixed carbon contents of 56.53%, which are well-matched the standards quality of activated carbon. As the process parameter varies, the increment of the chromium removal efficiency was from 62.5 to 97.03%. The maximum adsorption efficiency was observed at 30 g/L dosage of the adsorbent, at pH 4, and contact time at 180 min of activated carbon from chat stem waste was found 97.03%. FTIR was used to characterize the surface of the chat stem before and after adsorption. Langmuir and Freundlich are used for short contact time’s adsorption isotherm 0.9839 and 0.9995 respectively, which conformed, no visible change in the corrosion state. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-021-05855-7.