TITLE:
Surface Modification of the Biowaste for Purification of Wastewater Contaminated with Toxic Heavy Metals—Lead and Cadmium
AUTHORS:
Bindra Shrestha, Jagjit Kour, Puspa Lal Homagai, Megh Raj Pokhrel, Kedar Nath Ghimire
KEYWORDS:
Bioadsorbent; Heavy Metals; Wastewater; Amination; Langmuir Isotherm
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Chemical Engineering and Science,
Vol.3 No.3,
July
5,
2013
ABSTRACT: The surface of a biowaste was modified by
introduction of amino group for the purification of wastewater contaminated
with heavy metals. In this study waste tea leaf was used as a biowaste which
was an economic and efficient bioadsorbent. The aminated tea leaves were
characterized by spectral and elemental analysis. The adsorption capacity of
the surface modified biosorbent was studied as the function of solution pH,
concentration of metal ions and contact time of adsorption. The applicability
of Langmuir isotherm was tested. The adsorption capacities were found to be
83.04 mg/g and 57 mg/g for Pb (II) and Cd (II), respectively. The biosorbent
was regenerated by desorption of the metal loaded adsorbent with 0.1 M HNO3.
These results showed that the aminated tea leaves may be an attractive
alternative for treatment of wastewater contaminated with heavy metals.