BackgroundThe removal of tributyltin (TBT) from shipyard process wastewater using fly ash, activated carbon and fly ash/activated carbon composite was investigated. ResultsAdsorption experiments performed on TBT-contaminated artificial process wastewater revealed that the adsorption capacity of TBT increases with increase in the adsorbent amount, contact time, pH, stirring speed and initial TBT concentration. The adsorption isotherms and the kinetic data were well described by the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, respectively. The negative values of the Gibbs energy change (G(o)) indicated the spontaneous nature of the adsorption and the positive values of the enthalpy change (H-o) showed that the adsorption process is endothermic. Optimal conditions for the adsorption of TBT from contaminated artificial process wastewater were applied to TBT removal from natural shipyard process wastewater and the results showed that 94.2%, 99.2% and 99.8% TBT were removed by the fly ash, activated carbon and fly ash/activated carbon composite, respectively. ConclusionThis study showed that the precursors as well as the composite could be employed as efficient adsorbents for the removal of TBT from contaminated shipyard process wastewater with the composite material exhibiting the highest adsorption efficiency. (c) 2013 Society of Chemical Industry