Professor, Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, India

Speech Title: Importance of sustainable adsorbent materials for the sequestration of chromium from waste water

Abstract: The release of toxic metal ions from industrial effluents is an evolving global apprehension and varied sustainable adsorbent materials involving biopolymers, clay-biopolymer blend, graphene and synthetic polymeric resins are recognized to very effective for the heavy metal detoxification. Lead, mercury, chromium and cadmium are the well-known toxic metals that entail attention in this regard. Chromium in the hexavalent oxidation state is apparently carcinogenic and monitoring limits are crucial to check the levels of chromium released from industrial waste water. Subject to the pH of the effluent water, electrostatic, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic host-guest interactions are prominent between these adsorbents and chromium. Kinetics, thermodynamics and the interaction of specific ionic liquids with the green adsorbent materials also play a vital mechanistic role during adsorption. The central focus of the talk would be on the application of biodegradable and tailored adsorbent materials involving biopolymers, graphene oxide and clay materials for the sequestration of the stable oxidation states (hexavalent and trivalent) of chromium from industrial waste water.