Biosorption of Co(II), Cr(III), Cd(II), and Pb(II) Ions from Aqueous Solution Using Nonliving Neochloris Pseudoalveolaris Deason & Bold: Equilibrium, Thermodynamic, and Kinetic Study

Abstract

In this study, biosorption of cobalt(II), chromium(III), cadmium(II), and lead(II) ions from aqueous solution was studied using the algae nonliving biomass (Neochloris pseudoalveolaris, Np) as natural and biological sorbents. The effect of pH, contact time, temperature, and metal concentration on the adsorption capacity of metal ions was investigated. The maximum adsorption capacities for Co(II), Cr(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) were found to be 20.1, 9.73, 51.4 and 96.2 mg/g at the optimum conditions, respectively. The experiments showed that when pH increased, an increase in the adsorption capacity of the biomass was observed too. The kinetic results of adsorption obeyed a pseudo second-order model. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were applied to experimental equilibrium data of metal ions adsorption and the value of R L for Pb(II), Cb,(II), Co(II), and Cr(III) was found to be 0.376, 0271, 0872, and 096, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters related to the adsorption process such as E a , ΔG 0, ΔH 0, and ΔS 0 were calculated. ΔH 0 values (positive) showed that the adsorption mechanism was endothermic. Weber-Morris and Urano-Tachikawa diffusion models were also applied to experimental equilibrium data. The algae biomass was effectively used as a sorbent for the removal of metal ions from aqueous solutions.