Abstract
•PCC has good potential for removal and recovery of U(VI) from aqueous solution.•The sorption follows Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetic model.•The sorption of U(VI) onto PCC is physical in nature.•A single stage of batch system has been designed for various volumes.
Sorption of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution onto powdered corn cob has been carried out using batch technique. The maximum removal (98.5%) was obtained at pH 5 and contact time 60min. Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) isotherms are used for describing the sorption process. It is found that the Langmuir isotherm appears to be the best fitting model and pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion kinetics models were studied. The results indicate that the process follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. As well as the thermodynamic data indicate that the sorption processes is exothermic. The values of enthalpy (ΔH°), mean free energy (E) and activation energy (Ea) indicate that the sorption process is physical sorption. A single stage of batch adsorber has been designed for various volumes using the Langmuir isotherm.