Experimental analysis and simulation of heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Ni) bioadsorption process using Sargassum sp Marine algae

Author(s)

Jean Ferreira Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Química
• Defense date: 2006-02-16

Examining board members

Osvaldir Pereira Taranto; Marisa Masumi Beppu; Angela Mitsuyo Hayashi; Ana Paula Brescanini Rabelo; José Roberto Nunhez

• Advisor: Meuris Gurgel Carlos da Silva; Osvaldir Pereira Taranto

Abstract

The increase in worldwide industrial activity has intensified environmental pollution and the deterioration of ecosystems, a result of the accumulation of pollutants such as: heavy metals, synthetic composites and nuclear residues. Consequently, growing attention from all sectors of societies everywhere has focused on the health hazards and damages caused by heavy metals in the environment. Until not too long ago, it was assumed that Nature, with its formidable regenerating, purifying and stabilizing powers, would neutralize the aggressive acts of mankind. It was also assumed that scientific discoveries would correct any possible harm generated by Progress. This latter assumption is not unfounded as long as scientific research is guided, structured and fashioned to achieve this end. Due to great technological advances and to the resulting generation of residues contaminating the soil, water and air of our planet, it has become necessary to develop innovative lines of research for the treatment of industrial pollutants. One such line of research is bioadsorption, a process that has been used as an alternative for the treatment of effluents containing heavy metals. In light of the need to devise solutions for this problem, this particular project was designed to study bioadsorption¿a process for the removal of industrial waste through the use of fungi, bacteria and algae¿and verify the effectiveness and viability of its use in industry. The major objective of the study at hand was to assess the extent to which bioadsorption was effective in the removal of heavy metals from solutions containing lead, zinc and nickel. The study incorporated experimental analysis and analytical simulation of the bioadsorption process using adsorption isotherms, bioadsorption kinetics as well as batch and continuous processes. The results of this study show that bioadsorption is efficient in removing heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Ni); moreover, the results also show that Sargassum sp. algae are especially effective bioadsorbents for the removal of lead. Among the isotherm models tested in the study as measures of equilibrium relations, it was found that the Langmuir Isotherm most adequately represented the bioadsorption equilibrium relation. An additional finding was that experimental planning demonstrated that the initial concentration for the batch process and the rate of flow in the continuous process are significant variables in studies involving the assessment of the effectiveness of the removal of metals by marine algae. The considerations defined in the study for the modeling of the batch process proved viable, demonstrating that the mass transfer coefficient is an important variable in the evaluation of the affinity of bioadsorbents to Pb, Zn and Ni (AU)