Utilization the Azolla Pinnata macrophyte as biosorbent of metals ions; Cd2+, Cu2+,Ni2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+

• Grant number: 11/16262-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Meuris Gurgel Carlos da Silva
• Grantee: Arielle Muniz Kubota
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

One of the most serious current environmental problems is the soil and water contamination by heavy metals. Effluents that contain metals ions need to be treated by a specific manner. Research in the field of technology has sought to evaluate techniques and/or processes for the treatment of this specific effluent. The adsorption has been presented as a good alternative, specially the bioadsorption that uses biomaterials like seaweeds, fungi, bacteria and macrophytes. This process has as advantage the efficiency in the removal of heavy metals presents in low concentration but that still are above legal boundaries, besides the biodiversity, availability and low cost of the adsorbents materials. This research has the objective to investigate the Azolla Pinnata macrophyte as biosorbent of five metals ions, in this case, Cd2+, Cu2+,Ni2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ in synthetics solutions. The development of this research will involve the steps of the materials characterization using techniques like MEV, EDX and FTIR, the study of the adsorption/desorption process in statics (bath) and dynamics (column) systems in mono-component and bi-component conditions and the application of predictable models to adjust in the experimental data. The realization of this work will contribute with the evaluation of the potential of this material as an alternative biosorbent for utilization in treatment's process and/or stabilization of heavy metals presents in low concentrations in industrials effluents.