Open AccessSimultaneous Removal of Copper and Lead Ions from Industrial and Mining Effluents Using Biosorbents Derived from Rhododendron arboreum Plant: Adsorptive Optimization and Mechanism Evaluation
Author(s) -
Venkateswarlu Mundlamuri,
K. Ravindhranath,
Sneha Latha Pala,
Wondwosen Kebede Biftu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
asian journal of chemistry/asian journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 0975-427X
pISSN - 0970-7077
DOI - 10.14233/ajchem.2022.23445
Subject(s) - chemistry , sorption , adsorption , biosorption , langmuir adsorption model , extraction (chemistry) , endothermic process , metal ions in aqueous solution , ion exchange , nuclear chemistry , environmental chemistry , inorganic chemistry , ion , chromatography , organic chemistry
The present investigation is focused on developing simple and effective bioadsorbents for thesimultaneous removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions from industrial and mining effluents. Rhododendronarboreum plant biomaterials are identified to have strong adsorptivity for Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions. Stempowers (RSP), their active carbon (RSAC) and the active carbon doped in Ca-alginate beads,RSAc-Ca.alg, are investigated for the simultaneous removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions. Various extractionconditions were investigated and optimized for the maximum Cu2+ and Pb2+ removal. The sorptioncapacities were 35.0 mg/g for RSP, 38.5 mg/g for RSAC and 45.8 mg/g for RSAC-Ca.alg. Commonco-ions were marginally interfered and spent sorbents can be used after regenerating with 0.1 HCl fora multiple number of cycles. Thermodynamic analysis indicated the spontaneity of adsorption processand favourability of adsorption at elevated temperatures. The high positive ΔH values indicate theendothermic nature of sorption and mechanism is ion-exchange and or a sort of complex formationbetween Cu2+/Pb2+ ions and functional groups of sorbents. High positive ΔS values indicate intensivedisorder at solution/solvent boundary and thereby, favouring enhanced sorption. Sorption is wellexplained by Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second order kinetics. The sorbents were appliedto treat effluent samples collected from industries and mining in India and Ethiopia for the removal ofCu2+ and Pb2+. The results show that both the metal ions can be successfully removed at the optimumextraction conditions arrived in this investigation. The merit of this investigation is that at a conventworking pH 6, effective simultaneous removal of toxic Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions from industries can beachieved with simple biosorbents derived from Rhododendron arboreum plant.