Peat adsorption of herbicide 2,4-D from wastewaters

The possibility of utilizing peat as adsorbent for removal of the pesticide 2,4-D from contaminated wastewaters has been evaluated in this investigation. Batch tests were conducted at different conditions of initial solute concentration, pH, particle size of adsorbent, temperature and ratios of weight of adsorbent to solution volume, in order to determine the optimum range of these variables for the adsorption operation. Removal ratios for the 2,4-D of the order of 90% were obtained under optimum conditions. The adsorption of 2,4-D in peat is described adequately by the Freundlich isotherm. Continuous tests, utilizing adsorption columns, were then conducted in order to determine the design parameters for a proposed treatment plant. The column tests were adequately correlated by the Bohart-Adams equation.