Response Surface Modeling and Optimization of Cu (II) Removal from Waste Water Using Borasus Flabellifer Coir Powder

In the present work, Cu (II) removal from waste water was investigated using Borasus flabellifer coir powder as adsorbents in batch mode experiments. The effect of such parameters as initial Cu (II) concentration (20-60 mg/L), pH (5-7), and biomass dosage (10-14 g/l) on Cu (II) removal have been investigated using response surface methodology. The Box-Behnken experimental design in response surface methodology was used for designing the experiments as well as for full response surface estimation and 15 trials as per the model were run. The optimum input parameters for maximum removal of Cu (II) from an aqueous solution of 20 mg/L were as follows: biomass dosage (12.3646 g/L), pH (6.30642) and initial Cu (II) concentration (25.0414 mg/L). The high correlation coefficient (R2=0.977) between the model and the experimental data showed that the model was able to predict the removal of Cu (II) from waste water using Borasus flabellifer coir powder efficiently.