Author(s)

Tharakeswar Yadamari, Kalyan Yakkala, Gangadhar Battala, Ramakrishna Naidu Gurijala

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Commonly available herbal leaves powder namely Achyranthes aspera (uthareni) and Phyllanthus niruri (Nela usiri) are used as biosorbents for the removal of malathion in the present investigation. The efficiency of the biosorbents is tested for the determination of malathion using batch experiments under controlled conditions as a function of pH, contact time, initial malation concentration and the optimization amount of biosorbents. The quantification of malathion in aqueous samples, before and after equilibration with biosorbents is carried out by existing spectrophotometric method based on the oxidation of malathion with excess N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and Rhodamine B at (?max = 550 nm) is used for the unconsumed NBS. The biosorption capacities are found to be pH dependent. The maximum adsorption is noticed at pH = 6 with a contact time of 120 minutes. Biosorption equilibrium isotherms are plotted for malathion uptake capacity (Qe) against residual malathion concentration (Ce) in solution. The Qe versus Ce sorption isotherms relationship is expressed mathematically by Langmuir and Freundlich models. The removal of malathion using biosorbents Achyranthes aspera (Uthareni) and Phyllanthus niruri (Nela usiri) from spiked river water samples are found to be 94% and 96% respectively. The developed eco-friendly potential biosorbents indicate that the present method can be successfully applied for the quantitative determination and removal of malathion from real water samples.

Biosorption, Malathion, Achyranthes aspera (Uthareni) and Phyllanthus niruri (Nela usiri), Isotherm Models

T. Yadamari, K. Yakkala, G. Battala and R. Gurijala, "Biosorption of Malathion from Aqueous Solutions Using Herbal Leaves Powder," American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 2 No. 8A, 2011, pp. 37-45. doi: 10.4236/ajac.2011.228122.