Application of multicomponent adsorption isotherms to simultaneous biosorption of iron(iii) and chromium(vi) onC.vulgaris

Abstract

Although the biosorption of single metal ions to various microorganisms has been extensively studied and adsorption isotherms have been developed for single metal ion situations, very little attention has been given to the bioremoval and the expression of the adsorption isotherms of multi-metal ions systems. In this study, the competitive biosorption of iron(III) and chromium(VI) to Chlorella vulgaris from a binary metal mixture was studied and compared with the single metal ion situation in a batch stirred system. The effects of pH and single and dual metal ion concentrations on the biosorption rates and equilibrium uptakes were investigated. The optimum biosorption pH for both metal ions was determined as 2·0. Multi-metal ion biosorption studies were also performed at this pH value. It was observed that the biosorption rates and yields and equilibrium uptakes of iron(III) or chromium(VI) ions were reduced by the presence of increasing concentrations of the other metal ion. Adsorption isotherms developed for both single and dual metal ion systems at the optimum pH were expressed by the non-competitive and competitive Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models, and model parameters were determined by computer. It was seen that the adsorption equilibrium data fitted very well to both of the models in the concentration ranges studied. ©1997 SCI