Adsorption Behavior Of Heavy Metals Research Articles

Adsorption behavior of heavy metals onto microplastics derived from conventional and biodegradable commercial plastic products

This study extensively explored the adsorption behavior of heavy metals (Pb+2, Ni+2, Cu+2, Zn+2, and Cd+2) onto microplastics (MPs). The particle sizes of MPs ranged from 0.149 to 0.25 mm. The microplastics were generated from commercial products manufactured from both conventional (polyethylene (PE) bottle, polystyrene (PS) spoon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) egg carton) and biodegradable (polylactic acid (PLA) spoon, and polylactic acid (PLA) egg carton) plastics. The study also considered the influence of solution pH on the adsorption capacity of heavy metals. Regarding the adsorption potential for Cu+2, the ranking was as follows: PLA-egg (1408 μg·g−1) > PLA-spoon (735 μg·g−1) > PE-bottle (315 μg·g−1) > PET-egg (283 μg·g−1) > PS-spoon (237 μg·g−1). PLA MPs showed the highest adsorption capacity due to the lower thermal stability and higher presence of surface oxygen functional groups. Moreover, the adsorption capacities of the five metals onto PLA-spoon and PLA-egg decreased in the following order: Pb (1785 μg·g−1) > Zn (1267 μg·g−1) > Cd (748 μg·g−1) > Cu (735 μg·g−1) > Ni (722 μg·g−1), and Pb (1520 μg·g−1) > Ni (1412 μg·g−1) > Cu (1408 μg·g−1) > Zn (1118 μg·g−1) > Cd (423 μg·g−1), respectively. The SEM-EDS, FTIR and XPS results demonstrated that surface oxygen-containing functional groups play an important role during the adsorption process. This study extended its analysis to quantify the metal content of the post-adsorption MPs, revealing uneven adsorption of heavy metals onto the MPs. This implies that the diversity of commercial plastic products may result in significant variations in their ability to adsorb heavy metals, underscoring the importance of effectively managing discarded commercial plastic products.

The impact of recycling polyaluminium chloride and anionic polyacrylamide water treatment residuals on heavy metal adsorption in soils: implications for stormwater bioretention systems.

Despite the high adsorption capacity of polyaluminum chloride and anionic polyacrylamide water treatment residuals (PAC-APAM WTRs) for Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+, their influence on the adsorption behavior of heavy metals in traditional bioretention soil media remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of PAC-APAM WTRs at a 20% weight ratio on the adsorption removal of Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ in three types of soils. The results demonstrated improved heavy metal adsorption in the presence of PAC-APAM WTRs, with enhanced removal observed at higher pH levels and temperatures. The addition of PAC-APAM WTRs augmented the maximum adsorption capacity for Pb2+ (from 0.98 to 3.98%), Cd2+ (from 0.52 to 10.99%), Cu2+ (from 3.69 to 36.79%), and Zn2+ (from 2.63 to 13.46%). The Langmuir model better described the data in soils with and without PAC-APAM WTRs. The pseudo-second-order model more accurately described the adsorption process, revealing an irreversible chemical process, although qe demonstrated improvement with the addition of PAC-APAM WTRs. This study affirms the potential of PAC-APAM WTRs as an amendment for mitigating heavy metal pollution in stormwater bioretention systems. Further exploration of the engineering application of PAC-APAM WTRs, particularly in field conditions for the removal of dissolved heavy metals, is recommended.

Physicochemical properties of environmental media can affect the adsorption of arsenic (As) by microplastics

Microplastics are emerging pollutants that can adsorb heavy metals and threaten human health through food chain. Recently, there has been increasing interest in understanding the adsorption behavior of heavy metals by microplastics in farmland soil. In particular, arsenic (As), as a carcinogen, has the potential to be adsorbed by soil microplastics. However, the mechanisms and controlling factors of As adsorption by microplastics in farmland soil under natural conditions are still unknown. Here, microplastics and As were respectively added to farmland soils with different physicochemical properties from twelve provinces of China for adsorption experiment. We performed surface analysis of microplastics, quantified As accumulation through quasi-first-order kinetic equation and developed regression models to screen the factors controlling As adsorption. The results showed that the adsorption of As by soil microplastics was a chemical process accompanied by the loss of electrons from oxygen-containing functional groups. Soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) was the main factor controlling the adsorption rate, while soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN) and CEC mainly influenced the equilibrium adsorption capacity. This is the first report on microplastic-As adsorption in natural soil, which allows deeper insights into risk assessment, prediction and control of microplastic-As pollution in agricultural soil.

Eu(III) and Am(III) adsorption on aluminum (hydr)oxide minerals: surface complexation modeling

Americium is a highly radioactive actinide element found in used nuclear fuel. Its adsorption on aluminum (hydr)oxide minerals is important to study for at least two reasons: (i) aluminum (hydr)oxide minerals are ubiquitous in the subsurface environment and (ii) bentonite clays, which are proposed engineered barriers for the geologic disposal of used nuclear fuel, have the same ≡AlOH sites as aluminum (hydr)oxide minerals. Surface complexation modeling is widely used to interpret the adsorption behavior of heavy metals on mineral surfaces. While americium sorption is understudied, multiple adsorption studies for europium, a chemical analog, are available. In this study we compiled data describing Eu(III) adsorption on three aluminum (hydr)oxide minerals—corundum (α-Al2O3), γ-alumina (γ-Al2O3) and gibbsite (γ-Al(OH)3)—and developed surface complexation models for Eu(III) adsorption on these minerals by employing diffuse double layer (DDL) and charge distribution multisite complexation (CD-MUSIC) electrostatic frameworks. We also developed surface complexation models for Am(III) adsorption on corundum (α-Al2O3) and γ-alumina (γ-Al2O3) by employing a limited number of Am(III) adsorption data sourced from literature. For corundum and γ-alumina, two different adsorbed Eu(III) species, one each for strong and weak sites, were found to be important regardless of which electrostatic framework was used. The formation constant of the weak site species was almost 10,000 times weaker than the formation constant for the corresponding strong site species. For gibbsite, two different adsorbed Eu(III) species formed on the single available site type and were important for the DDL model, whereas the best-fit CD-MUSIC model for Eu(III)-gibbsite system required only one Eu(III) surface species. The Am(III)-corundum model based on the CD-MUSIC framework had the same set of surface species as the Eu(III)-corundum model. However, the log K values of the surface reactions were different. The best-fit Am(III)-corundum model based on the DDL framework had only one site type. Both the CD-MUSIC and the DDL model developed for Am(III)-γ-alumina system only comprised of one site type and the formation constant of the corresponding surface species was ~ 500 times stronger and ~ 700 times weaker than the corresponding Eu(III) species on the weak and the strong sites, respectively. The CD-MUSIC model for corundum and both the DDL and the CD-MUSIC models for γ-alumina predicted the Am(III) adsorption data very well, whereas the DDL model for corundum overpredicted the Am(III) adsorption data. The root mean square of errors of the DDL and CD-MUSIC models developed in this study were smaller than those of two previously-published models describing Am(III)-γ-alumina system, indicating the better predictive capacity of our models. Overall, our results suggest that using Eu(III) as an analog for Am(III) is practical approach for predicting Am(III) adsorption onto well-characterized minerals.Graphical

Theoretical study of M2CO2 MXenes stability and adsorption properties for heavy metals ions removal from water

Heavy-metals ions are one of the reasons to cause the pollution of water. The toxic heavy metal ions, such as Pb2+ and Cu2+, have been aroused worldwide concern due to their high toxicity and carcinogenicity. Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbide materials (MXenes) exhibit the hydrophilic surface, and the excellent chemistry stabilities, and can be the potential materials for water decontamination field. Here, by using density functional theory calculations, the adsorption behaviors of heavy metals, Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, and Zn on M2CO2 (M = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W) are investigated. Results show that Pb can stably be adsorbed on V2CO2, Cr2CO2, and Zr2CO2 MXenes with the corresponding adsorption energy lower than 0 eV. Densities of states and charge transfers analysis show that the hybridization of O* p orbital with Pb p and d orbitals promote the binding strength of M2CO2 (M = V, Cr, Zr) with Pb. In addition, it shows that the high Pb coverage on M2CO2, the F mixed in the terminal O* of M2CO2, and the strain in M2CO2 can alter the adsorption ability of M2CO2 for Pb. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations results indicate that the adsorbed Pb on the M2CO2 cannot aggregate into clusters at conducting temperature (300 K). Moreover, the results of the reaction energy, the binding energy, and the formation energy of hydrated Pb2+ ([PbH2On]2+) on M2CO2, and the change of bond lengths of Pb-O, dPb-O in ([PbH2On]2+) indicate that the Pb2+ can be efficiently removed from waste water even it was hydrated into [PbH2On]2+. This work illustrates that the 2D MXenes can be the promising materials for the removal of toxic metals (such as Pb2+) from water.

Effect of oxidative aging of biochar on relative distribution of competitive adsorption mechanism of Cd2+ and Pb2+

In this study, aged biochar (CCB350 and CCB650) were obtained from pyrolysis of corn stalk biochar (CB350 and CB650) at the degree of 350 °C and 650 °C by artificial oxidation with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Also, the mechanism of Pb2+ and Cd2+ on fresh and aged biochars was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by batch adsorption experiments combined with characterization. The adsorption isotherm results showed that aging treatment decreased the adsorption capacity of Pb2+ and Cd2+ and inhibited the competitive adsorption behavior of heavy metals. In the single-metal system, precipitation and cation exchange were considered as the main adsorption mechanisms for CB350 and CB650, with a ratio of 40.07–48.23% and 38.04–57.19%, respectively. Competition between Pb2+ and Cd2+ increased the relative contribution of mineral precipitation, but decreased the contribution of cation exchange mechanism. Aging resulted in the rise of the contribution of surface complexation to the adsorption of Pb2+ and Cd2+ on biochars, especially in low-temperature biochars, but weakened the contribution of mineral precipitation to the adsorption. Further, the contribution of other adsorption mechanisms was significantly enhanced for high-temperature aged biochars. These results are important to evaluate its long-term application prospects in the natural environment.

Shapeable amino-functionalized sodium alginate aerogel for high-performance adsorption of Cr(VI) and Cd(II): Experimental and theoretical investigations

Herein, an elastic polyethyleneimine/sodium alginate aerogel was designed by a one-step freeze-drying method. The 3D honeycomb-like structure endowed it excellent compressibility and plentiful exposed adsorption sites to accelerate Cr(VI) and Cd(II) adsorption. The adsorption processes matched the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, and the saturated adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) and Cd(II) was 678.67 and 464.23 mg/g, respectively. The obtained aerogel still expressed superior removal performance for Cr(VI) and Cd(II) even in the coexistent of multiple interfering factors and maintained stable adsorption capacity at least after 5 cycles. Importantly, the elastic cylindrical aerogel (∼0.59 g) could achieve dynamic filtration of industrial wastewater containing Cr(VI) and Cd(II) in fix-bed column system with corresponding effective treatment volume of 4.47 and 3.25 L, respectively. The reasonable mechanisms for the adsorption behaviors of heavy metals on the as-prepared aerogel was investigated via FTIR, XPS and Density functional theory (DFT), which could be attributed to the surface electrostatic adsorption, chelation and reduction effects. Eventually, the ecological assessment verified that eco-friendly SA/PEI aerogel had a powerful auxiliary effect on the anti-fouling growth of rice. Overall, such novel biomass aerogel adsorbent possessed great application potential and theoretical guiding significance for the purification of heavy metal wastewater.

Insight into the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of Pb (II) on pellet biochar via in-situ non-destructive 3D visualization using micro-computed tomography

The micro-CT technique was applied in adsorption visualization of Pb (II) on the pellet biochar derived from wheat straw to provide information on understanding the complex heavy metal-biochar interaction during the process. The 3D distribution of Pb (II) on the biochar was well in line with the results of isothermal and kinetic adsorption experiments as well as those of simulation with Langmuir and Weber-Morris intraparticle diffusion (IPD) models. It was shown that Pb (II) was preferentially adsorbed on the surface of the biochar at an initial Pb (II) concentration of 50 mg/L. However, at a higher initial concentration of 100 mg/L, the adsorption process occurred in a two-stage regime, namely rapid surface adsorption followed by slow intraparticle diffusion. This research offered a new way for investigation of the complex adsorption behavior of heavy metals on biochar, as well as construction and optimization of related adsorption models.

A review on heavy metal ions adsorption from water by layered double hydroxide and its composites

• We selected to review topics related to the specific application of LDH removal of heavy metals. • Classify and summarize its modification methods, absorption properties, composition, structure, and other aspects. • It is determined that future research needs to reduce environmental impact and economic costs to promote the synthesis and use of LDH. • This system summary will provide helpful guidance for preparing high-efficiency LDHs-based adsorbents and offer critical clues to elucidating the adsorption behavior of heavy metals on LDHs-based materials. Heavy metal pollution is highly toxic and persistent, posing a severe threat to human health, agriculture, and the safe environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for fast and efficient heavy metal removal technology to deal with emergency response to heavy metal leakage. In recent years, the development of a unique layered double hydroxide material has attracted widespread attention in sewage treatment. Due to these fundamental scientific issues, the general concern about environmental pollution management of LDH-based materials, and the recent significant developments in this field, it is necessary to conduct a thematic review. This article summarizes 474 related articles published since 2005 and outlines functionalized layered double hydroxide (LDH) research status as heavy metal adsorption materials. In addition, there is still a lack of reviews on the adsorption characteristics, interaction mechanism, and application of LDHs-based nanomaterials in heavy metal removal. Here, the primary purpose of this article is to systematically summarize LDHs-based materials and their applications in removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions ( Fig. 1 ). First, we will focus on its preparation and modification methods to understand LDH intuitively. Subsequently, the effects of different environmental conditions on factors such as pH, temperature, and contact time were summarized. Finally, the interaction mechanism between LDHs composites and heavy metals is briefly described, and a quick conclusion is given.

A particle scale micro-CT approach for 3D in-situ visualizing the Pb (II) adsorption in different crop residue-derived chars

It is crucial to develop a new characterization method to provide insight into the complex adsorption mechanism of crop residue-derived char. This study established a novel 3D in-situ visualization method for qualitative and semi-quantitative characterizing Pb (II) adsorption profiles in crop residue-derived char particles. First, coconut shell activated carbon, rice husk biochar, and wheat biochar after Pb (II) adsorption was used for X-ray micro-CT imaging. Then, the K-means clustering algorithm was developed for segmenting the volume image of samples, and the optimized segmentation thresholds for the 3 samples were 6000HU, 7000HU, and 1300HU, respectively. The rendered images for qualitative illustrating the adsorption profile of Pb (II) were presented. Finally, based on the derived quantitative formula, the Pb (II) distribution in the biochar particle was presented for the first time. This method provided a new perspective and methodology for analysis and simulations of the adsorption behavior of heavy metals onto chars.

Biochar application to detoxification of the heavy metal-contaminated fluvisols

Sorption of heavy metals on solid matrices such as soils is one of the key processes which determine the fate of contaminants in the environment. Knowledge of adsorption behavior of heavy metals using biochar is essential for their application in soil remediation. Using the adsorption method, the possibility of using a wood biochar to detoxify Fluvisols contaminated with heavy metals (for example, copper) was studied. It is shown that the addition of biochar increases the metal adsorption capacity of soil. The results were analysed using the Langmuir and Freindlich isotherm equations. It was concluded that biocar can be applied to immobilize heavy metals in contaminated soils.

Phase-Mediated Heavy Metal Adsorption from Aqueous Solutions Using Two-Dimensional Layered MoS2.

An understanding of the impacts regarding different phases of inorganic materials on heavy metal removal is indispensable, owing to the intrinsic structure of materials that can affect its properties. In this study, the distinct adsorption behaviors of heavy metals (Pb(II) and Cu(II)) on different phases of MoS2 (metallic phase (1T) and semiconducting phase (2H)) were theoretically and experimentally investigated. According to the computational results, both Pb(II) and Cu(II) have formed more stable complexes on 1T-MoS2 compared to those on 2H-MoS2 due to the lower adsorption energy (Ead). This phenomenon indicates that Pb(II) and Cu(II) were more preferably adsorbed onto 1T-MoS2. Based on the results of the computational studies, two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 nanosheets with identical 1T and 2H phases were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal reaction. As we surmised, 1T-MoS2 achieved excellent Pb(II) and Cu(II) adsorption capacities, which were 147.09 and 82.13 mg/g at 298 K, respectively, compared to those of 2H-MoS2 (i.e., 64.16 and 50.74 mg/g at 298 K). Moreover, 1T-MoS2 has shown other superior properties, such as (i) ultrafast adsorption kinetics and (ii) great anti-interference activity toward other existing cations, compared to 2H-MoS2. Extensive computations and characterizations of MoS2-Pb and -Cu adsorption complexes illustrated that the active S sites were indispensable for heavy metal adsorption. Overall, for the first time, we provide evidence that 1T-MoS2 is more functional in heavy metal removal compared to 2H-MoS2, which can guide and expand the applications of MoS2-based adsorbents in environmental remediation.

First principles study of structural stability against the distribution of Mg and Al atoms and adsorption behaviors of heavy metals of attapulgite

First principles calculations are carried out to study the occupation properties of heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Hg and Pb) in attapulgite. The stability of attapulgite with different distributions of Al and Mg ions and the influence of aluminum contents was evaluated by calculating of cohesive energy. The most stable attapulgite owns equal Mg and Al contents. The influence of Al contents and occupation on the adsorption properties of heavy metals in attapulgite is studied. The heavy metals tend to occupy in the interstitial site comparing to the substitution of metal (Mg and Al) sites. Mg-rich attapulgite is a good adsorbent for Pb and Cd, but unable to adsorb Sb and Hg in term of the thermodynamic stability. Electronic structure analysis indicates that Al content is a key factor to determine the adsorption ability of attapulgite for heavy metals, and the interaction between heavy metal and O atoms is the dominate force to hold heavy metal atom in attapulgite.

Interaction of epitaxial graphene with heavy metals: towards novel sensing platform

Development of next-generation sensors based on graphene materials, especially epitaxial graphene (EG) as the most promising representative, with desirable cross-reactivity to heavy metals (HMs) is of great technological significance in the virtue of enormous impact on environmental sensorics. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which EG responds to toxic HMs exposure and then produces the output signal are still obscure. In the present study, the nature of interaction of toxic HMs, e.g. Cd, Hg and Pb in neutral charge state and EG on Si-face SiC in the absence and in the presence of pure water solution has been investigated using density functional theory with the inclusion of dispersion correction and cluster model of EG. The gas-phase calculations showed that adsorbed electron-donating Cd and Hg adatoms on EG are most stable when bonded to hollow sites, while Pb species prefer to sit above bridge sites. By using non-covalent interaction analysis, charge decomposition analysis, overlap population density of states analysis and topological analysis, it was found that the interaction between Cd or Hg and EG is non-bonding in nature and is mainly governed by van der Waals forces, while Pb adsorption is followed by the formation of anti-bonding orbitals in vacuum conditions and bonding orbitals in water. The role of solvent in the adsorption behavior of HMs is studied and discussed. The present theoretical analysis is in good agreement with recent experimental results towards discriminative electrochemical analysis of the toxic HMs in aqueous solutions at critically low concentrations.

Simultaneous adsorption behavior of heavy metals onto microporous olive stones activated carbon: analysis of metal interactions

The present work reports the synergistic and inhibitory adsorption effects involved in the multicomponent adsorption of heavy metal ions (Cu(II), Ni(II), and Cd(II)) from binary systems using chemically olive stone activated carbon (COSAC) as adsorbent. In order to evaluate the adsorption capacity of COSAC to remove studied heavy metals, adsorption of metal ions in single and binary systems were conducted. Kinetics adsorption rates in binary systems are very fast as compared to that in single ones and well represented by the pseudo second-order. Langmuir and Sips model fit mono-solute adsorption isotherms and the maximum adsorption capacity of COSAC decreased in the following order: Cd(II) > Ni(II) > Cu(II). In binary equilibrium systems, the effect of initial concentration of interfering metal ions on the removal of target ones was studied. Different mutual interactions between metal ions dealing with the decrease and the enhancement of inhibitory and synergetic effects were detected. Results showed that the effects on the adsorption of the metal ions in binary mixture strongly depend on the initial concentration of both metal ions in the solution. In most of the scenarios studied, the total amount of metal ions adsorbed was higher than the sum of the ones obtained in single solutions, suggesting synergetic interactions between the two metal ions. This study proves that COSAC is an effective adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from multicomponent solutions.

Synthesis, characterization of nano-sized anatase TiO2and its adsorption behaviourfor environmental contaminant.

TiO2is one of the most studied material due to its unique properties like chemical stability, non toxicity and cost effectiveness.Nano-sizedTiO2has been preparedby sol -gel methodusing titanium butoxide as precursor. X- ray diffraction analysis wasused to characterize the phase and crystalsize of the synthesized TiO2particles.It was found that sizes of the particles ranged from 6 to 12 nanometre. FT-IR spectrum was also recorded for the TiO2 particles to detect the remaining organic residue .Heavy metalslike Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni etc are considered major environmental contaminantin water due to their non biodegradable nature and adverse health effect in living beings. In this work the adsorption behavior of heavy metals towards nano-sizedTiO2was investigated.

Removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution using red loess as an adsorbent

The adsorption behaviors of heavy metals onto novel low-cost adsorbent, red loess, were investigated. Red loess was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The results indicated that red loess mainly consisted of silicate, ferric and aluminum oxides. Solution pH, adsorbent dosage, initial metal concentration, contact time and temperature significantly influenced the efficiency of heavy metals removal. The adsorption reached equilibrium at 4 hr, and the experimental equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir monolayer adsorption model. The adsorption of Cu(II) and Zn(II) onto red loess was endothermic, while the adsorption of Pb(II) was exothermic. The maximum adsorption capacities of red loess for Pb(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) were estimated to be 113.6, 34.2 and 17.5 mg/g, respectively at 25°C and pH 6. The maximum removal efficiencies were 100% for Pb(II) at pH 7, 100% for Cu(II) at pH 8, and 80% for Zn(II) at pH 8. The used adsorbents were readily regenerated using dilute HC1 solution, indicating that red loess has a high reusability. All the above results demonstrated that red loess could be used as a possible alternative low-cost adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution.

Adsorption behavior of heavy metals onto chemically modified sugarcane bagasse

A new process for the xanthation of sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum) bagasse was investigated for the separation of cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc and copper from their aqueous solutions. Adsorption capacity of the charred xanthated sugarcane bagasse (CXSB) was found to be significantly more than the several biosorbents reported in the literatures. The modified material was characterized by FTIR and elemental analysis. The kinetics of sorption of the tested metals was fast, reaching equilibrium within 20–40 min. The maximum adsorption capacities evaluated in terms of mol/kg dry gel were 1.95 for Cd(II), 1.58 for Pb(II), 2.52 for Ni(II), 2.40 for Zn(II) and 2.91 for Cu(II), respectively. The high adsorption capacity and the kinetics results indicated that CXSB can be used as the selective adsorbent for the removal of these respective metal ions from wastewater.

Competitive adsorption behavior of heavy metals on kaolinite

Polluted and contaminated soils can often contain more than one heavy metal species. It is possible that the behavior of a particular metal species in a soil system will be affected by the presence of other metals. In this study we have investigated the adsorption of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) onto kaolinite in single- and multi-element systems as a function of pH and concentration, in a background solution of 0.01 M NaNO 3. In adsorption edge experiments, the pH was varied from 3.5 to 10.0 with total metal concentration 133.3 μM in the single-element system and 33.3 μM each of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) in the multi-element system. The value of pH 50 (the pH at which 50% adsorption occurs) was found to follow the sequence Cu < Zn < Pb < Cd in single-element systems, but Pb < Cu < Zn < Cd in the multi-element system. Adsorption isotherms at pH 6.0 in the multi-element systems showed that there is competition among various metals for adsorption sites on kaolinite. The adsorption and potentiometric titrations data for various kaolinite–metal systems were modeled using an extended constant-capacitance surface complexation model that assumed an ion-exchange process below pH 7.0 and the formation of inner-sphere surface complexes at higher pH. Inner-sphere complexation was more dominant for the Cu(II) and Pb(II) systems.

Adsorption Behavior of Heavy Metals on Biomaterials

We have investigated adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) at pH 2-6.7 onto the biomaterials chitosan, coffee, green tea, tea, yuzu, aloe, and Japanese coarse tea, and onto the inorganic adsorbents, activated carbon and zeolite. High adsorptive capabilities were observed for all of the biomaterials at pH 4 and 6.7. In the adsorption of Cd(II), blend coffee, tea, green tea, and coarse tea have comparable loading capacities to activated carbon and zeolite. Although activated carbon, zeolite, and chitosan are utilized in a variety of fields such as wastewater treatment, chemical and metallurgical engineering, and analytical chemistry, these adsorbents are costly. On the other hand, processing of the test biomaterials was inexpensive, and all the biomaterials except for chitosan were able to adsorb large amounts of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions after a convenient pretreatment of washing with water followed by drying. The high adsorption capability of the biomaterials prepared from plant materials is promising in the development of a novel, low-cost adsorbent. From these results, it is concluded that heavy metal removal using biomaterials would be an effective method for the economic treatment of wastewater. The proposed adsorption method was applied to the determination of amounts of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in water samples.