Bioremediation of Cu(II) contaminated water by Saccharum officinarum: effect of oxalic acid modification on equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters

Abstract

Background

Copper is one of the heavy metals whose presence in aquatic environment in higher concentration poses a major threat to the environment. This is due to their toxic effects on the plants, animals and human health. Biosorption an innovative biotechnological technique with superior advantages was used for the remediation of Cu²⁺ from aqueous solution in this study.

Methods

Biosorbent was prepared from raw (RAWB) and oxalic acid modified (OAMB) Saccharum officinarum. They were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDAX), fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for surface morphological study. Experimental data obtained from batch equilibrium studies were subjected to two-parameters [Freundlich, Langmuir, Tempkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R)] and three-parameter [Redlich–Peterson (R–P), Sips, Hill and Toth] isotherm models. Kinetic data were analysed with pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order, Elovich and Avrami kinetic models.

Results

The results of proximate analysis and characterization show that the oxalic acid modification affected the biosorbents content, surface modifications and the functional groups present. The experimental data from the equilibrium studies were best fitted to the isotherms with R ² >0.9 for the OAMB and RAWB. The adsorption energies (E) from the D-R isotherms were found to be 0.36 and 0.06 kJ/mol for OAMB and RAWB respectively, which is indication of physisorption favoured processes. Pseudo second-order model best fitted the data with a coefficient of determination (R ²) of above 0.998 with an average relative and hybrid errors lower than 5 %. Intraparticulate diffusion model analysis showed that the adsorption process develops in two stages as rapid and slow phase. Changes in standard free energy (∆G°), enthalpy (∆H°) and entropy (∆S°) for the biosorption processes were estimated using the thermodynamic equilibrium model. The calculated thermodynamics parameters indicated that the process is spontaneous and endothermic in nature.

Conclusions

This study revealed the feasibility of Cu²⁺ removal through biosorption processes using S. officinarum biomass as biosorbent. The improved surface morphology for increase biosorption by oxalic acid modification is also favourable. The biosorption process for the removal of the Cu²⁺ is pH dependent as the efficiency increased from 36.4 to 65.3 % for raw biomass while the OAMB has increase efficiency from 57.5 to 88.6 as the pH increases from 2 to 6.

Keywords

Saccharum officinarum / Oxalic acid / Biosorption / Kinetics / Thermodynamics / Equilibrium

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Funding

TWAS (CSIR)(3240275035)