Applicability of the Pinus bark (Pinus elliottii) for the adsorption of toxic heavy metals from aqueous solutions

Affonso Celso Gonçalves Junior,Cleber Antonio Lindino,Daniel Schwantes,Herbert Nacke,Leonardo Strey,Edleusa Pereira Seidel

doi:10.4025/actascitechnol.v34i1.9585

Affonso Celso Gonçalves Junior, Cleber Antonio Lindino + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4025/actascitechnol.v34i1.9585

Copy DOI

Abstract

Current research evaluates the efficaciousness of pine (Pinus elliottii) bark as adsorbent of the toxic heavy metals cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) from aqueous solutions, at two pH conditions: 5.0 and 7.0. Approximately 500 mg of adsorbent material and 50 mL of solution contaminated by Cd, Pb and Cr at different concentrations prepared from standard solutions of each metal were added in 125 mL Erlenmeyer flasks. Flasks were stirred during 3h at 200 rpm at 25oC. Further, 10 mL aliquots were then retrieved and concentration of metal Cd, Pb and Cr determined by AAS. Adsorption isotherms for each metal were consequently obtained and linearized according to Langmuir and Freundlich's mathematical models. Results show that the Pinus bark was efficacious in the removal of toxic heavy metals Cd, Pb and Cr from contaminated solutions and that the bark's adsorption capacity depended on pH solution.

Highlights

In the wake of contamination forms of the environment caused by industrial and agricultural activities, water contamination by heavy metals is a major concern to researchers and government departments involved in controlling water pollution
Current research evaluates the efficiency of using the Pinus bark (Pinus elliottii) as adsorbent of toxic heavy metals Cd, Pb and Cr from contaminated water and the dependence of the adsorption processes with regard to pH of the solution
The analysis on the adsorption process in different pH demonstrated that in the treatment of natural water contaminated with the metals Cd, Pb and Cr, the use of Pinus bark as adsorbent in the removal and adsorption process is efficient within a pH range between 5.0 and 7.0

Summary

Introduction

In the wake of contamination forms of the environment caused by industrial and agricultural activities, water contamination by heavy metals is a major concern to researchers and government departments involved in controlling water pollution. Certain conventional treatment methods of effluents containing toxic heavy metals (precipitation, ion exchange, electro-chemical treatment, flocculation, ozonization and filtering) are generally limited in their effects since they are technically and economically non-viable Their application is difficult, especially when these techniques are used to remove dissolved metals in large volumes of water. Adsorption techniques use several adsorbing materials for the removal of organic (activated carbon, biomass etc.) or inorganic (zeolites, clays etc.) metal residues, either natural or synthetic (AKLIL et al, 2004) Alternative materials, such as sub-products and wastes of industrial processes, have been evaluated by their great availability, accessibility, efficiency and high competitiveness with regard to resins of ion exchange and activated carbon (VALDMAN et al, 2001). Current research evaluates the efficiency of using the Pinus bark (Pinus elliottii) as adsorbent of toxic heavy metals Cd, Pb and Cr from contaminated water and the dependence of the adsorption processes with regard to pH of the solution

Material and methods

Results and discussion

Conclusion