Elimination of Toxic Heavy Metals from Aqueous Systems Using Potential Biosorbents: A Review

Abstract

Heavy metal contaminations due to effluent discharge from industries are serious environmental problem since the last several decades. The remediation of heavy metals is of major concern because of their property of toxicity effects to living systems, recalcitrant and persistent occurrence in the environment. Although several methods are reported on the sequestration of heavy metals from aqueous solutions, still research is focused on the development of eco-friendly and economic process. Biosorption is a potential process for removal of heavy metals even at the low metal concentration. The present review reports on the use of dead biomass of microbial source and lignocellulosic residues for removal of heavy metal from aqueous solution, summarizes the applicability of biosorption isotherm and kinetic models in heavy metal removal and discusses on the characteristic features of biosorbent, interactions between metal and biosorbent, and the associated mechanisms through different instrumental characterization techniques. Moreover, desorbing agent significance in the biomass regeneration and recycle possibilities of various biosorbents are considered in the present review.