Adsorption of heavy metals with Moringa oleifera seeds as biosorbent

• Grant number: 12/14522-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Soil and Water Engineering
• Principal Investigator: José Euclides Stipp Paterniani
• Grantee: Monalisa Franco
• Supervisor: Jesús Beltrán de Heredia Alonso
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola (FEAGRI). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz (UEx), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/08233-9 - Removal of heavy metals from water by slow filtration with nonwoven blankets with coagulant extracted from Moringa oleifera seeds as auxiliary., BP.DR

Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals in water supplies has become a great concern of environmental and public health. It can cause serious problems on fauna, flora and humans. There are a lot of treatment options for heavy metals removal; nevertheless most of them present the disadvantage of requiring a chemical compound or a high technology process. In other hand there is the biosorption, a way of use natural compounds in the water treatment to remove heavy metals. One option of natural coagulant is Moringa oleifera, the seeds of this tree has a coagulant potential, and can be used to produce oil, soap, cosmetics and food products, as a rich source of nutrients. The aim of this study is evaluate the use of the seeds of Moringa oleifera in heavy metals removal process. Furthermore, this study will provide knowledge to biosorption kinetics, desorption, reuse of biosorbents and the use of a column of Morina oleifera as a media filter during the treatment. (AU)