Chemical Utilization of Biomass II: Preparation of Adsorbents from Wheat Straw to Eliminate Cupric and Zinc Ions of Industrial Wastewaters

Abstract

Agricultural residues represent a cheap and environmentally safe source of raw material for the preparation of ion exchangers and adsorbents that may be useful for removal of metals and/or colour from different wastewaters. Metal ions (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni and Zn) are known to contaminate the industrial effluents, water supplies, as well as mine waters. Fish and textile plants may apply this method to eliminate contaminants in case of low ion concentrations far away from their source. The simultaneous biosorption of Cu and Zn ions from aqueous solution by straw based oxidised cellulose was studied. The adsorption equilibrium was attained in 24 h at room temperature. The adsorption was found to fit the modified Langmuir type isotherms, and the parameters of the maximum adsorbent capacity and the adsorption intensity were calculated.