Reuse of the alginate extraction waste from Sargassum filipendula for Ni(II) biosorption

Abstract

This study was developed based on the possibility of reusing and valuing the alginate extraction residue (RES) from the algae Sargassum filipendula. The adsorptive properties of RES were explored through kinetic and equilibrium assays in batch mode, in which the kinetic equilibrium time (200 min) was not influenced by the increase of the initial concentration of Ni solutions and the sorption process was favored by the temperature increase. The modeling revealed the simultaneous occurrence of physical and chemical interactions with the external diffusion as the predominant step. The Langmuir model was more representative for the equilibrium results, with an uptake capacity comparable to that of other biomaterials. The thermodynamic study indicated a spontaneous, favorable, and endothermic process, besides the presence of the ion exchange. The isoelectric point was found at pH 5.3, and the pore size distribution allowed the classification of RES as macroporous. The simplified bath sorption design revealed that the required mass of RES become greater for higher quality degrees. However, it is tenable to consider this process viable due to the easy access to the algae biomass and the large amount of the solid waste generated from the alginate extraction (∼50%), termed as residue (RES).