Abstract

Au(III) and Cu(II) adsorption from aqueous solution were carried out using sheep wools with chemical treatments, by NaOH, Na2S, NaHSO3, and NaBH4 aqueous solution. The fibrous wool was transformed into a film like structures after the chemical treatment using Na2S. The sheep wool and the chemically treated sheep wool adsorbed selectively Au(III) from Au-Cu binary aqueous solution and the presence of copper ion had no effect on the Au(III) adsorption. Au(III) adsorbed substantially at low pH range. The kinetic experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the adsorption amount of Au(III) increased with time and reached a plateau after 12 h. The kinetic analysis suggests that rate determining step of Au adsorption would be chemisorption due to the formation of a monolayer on the wool surface. Sheep wool is a low cost, eco-friendly material, and has a high capacity of adsorption, and could be used as a biosorbent for precious and heavy metals by modification of appropriate chemical treatment.

Highlights

  • Biomaterials are widely used for heavy metal and precious metals adsorption because it’s cost effectiveness

  • NaOH, Na2S, NaBH4, NaHSO3 at 1.0 M solution were used for treatment of sheep wool

  • During the treatment of wool, the solution color changed transparent to yellow regarding the dissolution of sheep wool

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Summary

Introduction

Biomaterials are widely used for heavy metal and precious metals adsorption because it’s cost effectiveness. Regarding study by Han et al (2017), some mining and industrial effluents contain both of the precious and heavy metals. High selective biosorbent materials are appropriate for the precious metal adsorption from the mining and industrial effluents. The biosorption mechanism is complicated and is still not fully explored. Wen et al (2010) and Enkhzaya et al (2017) have been studied interaction between metal ion and wool. Biosorption of heavy metals has been studied by modified sheep wool due to its large number of functional groups (Freddi et al, 2001; Naik et al, 2010)

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