Insight into copper and nickel adsorption from aqueous solutions onto carbon-coated-sand: Isotherms, kinetics, mechanisms, and cost analysis

This study investigated the use of carbon-coated-sand (CCS), as a more sustainable alternative to activated carbon (AC), for removal Ni 2+ and Cu ions from an aqueous solution. The CCS was synthesized sugar sand without any additional binders then using 0.1 M H 2 SO 4 form modified version called MCSS. Activation increased specific surface area by 15-folds 0.409 (CCS) 6.183 (MCCS) m /g. Multi-linear regression applied evaluate adsorption capacity function three independent factors: pH solution; contact time; initial concentration adsorbate. optimum achieved at 6.0 both adsorbents. enhanced 68% 54% . behavior under different conditions successfully modeled multi-linear with high accuracy R > 0.86 0.96 MCCS. Cost estimation provided encouraging evidence cost-effectiveness MCCS compared carbon. results obtained in this revealed that carbon-coating is promising greener low-cost technique water treatment.