Abstract Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4) is an oxidizing agent widely used throughout the water industry. It has an effect on the development of a disinfection strategy by serving as an alternative to pre-chlorination or other oxidants at locations in a treatment plant where chemical oxidation is desired for control of color, taste, odor and algae. Potassium Permanganate when exposed in extreme quantity can react with human tissue and causes similar effect as that of acid, it can also cause severe eye irritation on contact and possible burns, may cause chemical conjunctivitis and corneal damage. The objective of this study is to evaluate the ability of activated charcoal to retain Potassium Permanganate ions (K+ and MnO4–) through adsorption in an aqueous solution. On the laboratory scale length of unused bed and equilibrium concentration was found out keeping in mind various parameters like effect of temperature, effect of concentration of adsorbate and flow rate of adsorbate for the removal of KMnO4 ions from water. The isotherm data was verified with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm as well as Freundlich adsorption isotherm equations.
Keywords Activated Charcoal, Adsorption Isotherms, Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption Isotherm, Length of Unused Bed, Potassium Permanganate