USE OF CHICKEN FEATHERS AS A FILTER MEDIUM FOR THE REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS IN ACIDIC WATERS

Abstract

This research aimed to use chicken feathers as a filter medium to remove metals from acidic waters. The initial sample before filtration and the samples obtained at the end of each filtration were measured with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results show that chicken feathers retain metals, up to 20 filtrations, obtaining a final removal of 94.2 % of aluminum, 93.3 %, copper, 98 %, chromium, 97.8 %, iron, 99 %. manganese and 98 %, lead. The final concentrations of metals were below the maximum permissible limits (MPL), except for chromium, whose value was borderline, and lead, which was above the MPL according to the WHO. It is concluded that chicken feathers, due to their adsorption property, retain metals from acidic water, thus allowing the removal of metals.