Potential application of Allium Cepa seeds as a novel biosorbent for efficient biosorption of heavy metals ions from aqueous solution

Isothermal and Kinetics Modeling Approach for the Bioremediation of Potentially Toxic Trace Metal Ions Using a Novel Biosorbent Acalypha wilkesiana (Copperleaf) Leaves

The presence of trace metals in wastewater brings serious environmental pollution that threatens human health as well as the ecosystem throughout the world due to their non-biodegradability nature. The present study focuses on the bioremediation of toxic trace metals, namely arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr), using Acalypha wilkesiana leaf raw biomass. The optimization of various process variables was done to determine the removal percentage of trace metal using Acalypha wilkesiana leaf raw biomass, and the optimum conditions were an adsorbent dose of 0.5 g, contact time 10 h, 8 h, and 10 h, process temperature 30 °C, initial concentration of trace metal as 30 µg/L, 30 mg//L, and 40 mg/L, and pH of 7.5, 7 and 7.5 for As5+, and Cd2+ and Cr6+, respectively. Acalypha wilkesiana leaf raw biomass is characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), zeta potential before and after adsorption of the trace metal ions. The study was well fitted for the equilibrium data for Langmuir isotherm for As5+, Cd2+, and Cr6+, Freundlich for As5+, Dubinin-Radushkevinch (D-R) for Cr6+, and Temkin for As5+ and Cr6+. The adsorption of all three trace metals was confirmed by the kinetics and thermodynamic studies to be following pseudo-second-order kinetics with endothermic as well as spontaneous processes, respectively. Thus, the present study indicates Acalypha wilkesiana leaf raw biomass as an effective and efficient novel biosorbent to remediate different trace metals from aqueous systems with its possible application in existing and novel methods for wastewater management.

Multilayer adsorption of lead (Pb) and fulvic acid by Chlorella pyrenoidosa: Mechanism and impact of environmental factors

When the multilayer adsorption of lead (Pb) and fulvic acid (FA) occurs on algal surface, the adsorption capacity of Pb on the algae will increase dramatically, thus increasing the environmental risk of Pb. However, the corresponding mechanism and the influence of environmental factors on the multilayer adsorption remain unclear. Here, microscopic observation methods and batch adsorption experiments were exactly designed to investigate the adsorption behavior of multilayer adsorption of Pb and FA on algal surface. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that carboxyl groups were the major functional groups responsible for the binding of Pb ions in multilayer adsorption, and its number was more than that in monolayer adsorption. The solution pH, with an optimal pH of 7, was a critical factor influencing the occurrence of multilayer adsorption because it influences the protonation of the involved functional groups and determines the concentration of Pb²⁺ and Pb-FA in the solution. Increasing the temperature was beneficial for multilayer adsorption, with ΔH for Pb and FA varied from +17.12 to +47.68 kJ/mol and +16.19 to +57.74 kJ/mol, respectively. The multilayer adsorption of Pb and FA onto algal surface also followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model, but was extremely slower than the monolayer adsorption of Pb and FA by 30 times and 15 orders of magnitude, respectively. Therefore, the adsorption of Pb and FA in the ternary system had a different adsorption behavior than that in the binary system, which verified the presence of multilayer adsorption of Pb and FA and further support the multilayer adsorption mechanism. This work is important to provide data support for water ecological risk prevention and control of heavy metals.

Adsorption of Cd (II) by a novel living and non-living Cupriavidus necator GX_5: optimization, equilibrium and kinetic studies

Biosorbents have been extensively studied for heavy metal adsorption due to their advantages of low cost and high efficiency. In the study, the living and non-living biomass of Cupriavidus necator GX_5 previously isolated were evaluated for their adsorption capacity and/or removal efficiency for Cd (II) through batch experiments, SEM and FT-IR investigations. The maximum removal efficiency rates for the live and dead biomass were 60.51% and 78.53%, respectively, at an optimum pH of 6, a dosage of 1 g/L and an initial Cd (II) concentration of 5 mg/L. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was more suitable for fitting the experimental data, indicating that the rate-limiting step might be chemisorption. The Freundlich isotherm model fit better than the Langmuir isotherm model, implying that the adsorption process of both biosorbents was heterogeneous. FT-IR observation reflected that various functional groups were involved in Cd (II) adsorption: -OH, -NH, C=O, C-O and C-C groups for the living biomass and -OH, -NH, C-H, C = O, C-N and N-H groups for the dead biomass. Our results imply that non-living biosorbents have a higher capacity and stronger strength for absorbing Cd (II) than living biomass. Therefore, we suggest that dead GX_5 is a promising adsorbent and can be used in Cd (II)-contaminated environments.

Breeding, Biosorption Characteristics, and Mechanism of a Lead-Resistant Strain

To effectively carry out the bioremediation of a Pb²⁺ polluted environment, a lead-tolerant strain named D1 was screened from the activated sludge of a factory in Hefei, and its lead removal in a solution with Pb²⁺ concentration of 200 mg/L could reach 91% under optimal culture conditions. Morphological observation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to identify D1 accurately, and its cultural characteristics and lead removal mechanism were also preliminarily studied. The results showed that the D1 strain was preliminarily identified as the Sphingobacterium mizutaii strain. The experiments conducted via orthogonal test showed that the optimal conditions for the growth of strain D1 were pH 7, inoculum volume 6%, 35 °C, and rotational speed 150 r/min. According to the results of scanning electron microscopy and energy spectrum analysis before and after the D1 exposure to lead, it is believed that the lead removal mechanism of D1 is surface adsorption. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results revealed that multiple functional groups on the surface of the bacterial cells are involved in the Pb adsorption process. In conclusion, the D1 strain has excellent application prospects in the bioremediation of lead-contaminated environments.

Quantification of the antagonistic and synergistic effects of Pb2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ bioaccumulation by living Bacillus subtilis biomass using XGBoost and SHAP

Bioaccumulation and adsorption are efficient methods for removing heavy metal ions (HMIs) from aqueous environments. However, methods to quantifiably characterize the removal selectivity for co-existing HMIs are limited. In this study, we applied Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) following extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) modeling, to generate SHAP values. We used these values to create an affinity interference index (AII) that quantitatively represented the interference between metal ions in a multi-metal bioaccumulation system. The selectivity for simultaneous bioaccumulation of Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺ by living Bacillus subtilis biomass was then characterized as a proof of concept. The AII indicated that the bioaccumulation of Zn²⁺ was more strongly inhibited by Pb²⁺/Cu²⁺ (AII = 1) than that of Pb²⁺/Cu²⁺ by Zn²⁺. Moreover, the presence of Zn²⁺ promoted the bioaccumulation of Pb²⁺ (AII = 0.39), which was confirmed in further experiments where the bioaccumulation of Pb²⁺ (300 μM) was increased by 38% with Zn²⁺ (300 μM). This study demonstrated that the combination of XGBoost and SHAP is effective in the quantifiable characterization of the antagonistic and synergistic effects in a multi-metal simultaneous bioaccumulation system. This method could also be generalized to similar tasks for analyzing the selectivity effects in a multi-component system.

Amino-functionalization of lignocellulosic biopolymer to be used as a green and sustainable adsorbent for anionic contaminant removal

In this work, natural biopolymer stemming from lignocellulosic peanut hull biomass was used as a green and low-cost adsorbent to eliminate anionic Congo red (CR) and Cr(VI) ions from aqueous sample. In order to enhance the removal performance, the lignocellulosic biopolymer was subjected to amino-modification by the graft copolymerization of (3-acrylamidopropyl) trimethylammonium chloride and N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide. The property of the prepared amino-functionalized biopolymer (AFB) was examined through FTIR, TG, SEM, particle size analysis, zeta potential determination and XPS. The adsorption efficacy of AFB for CR and Cr(VI) was tested at different pH, contact time and initial concentration. The kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamics investigations revealed that the uptakes of CR and Cr(VI) were the combination processes of chemical and physical interactions, and both endothermic in nature. The AFB exhibited good reusability without significant loss in adsorption capacity after five consecutive cycles. Mechanistic analysis indicated that the quaternary ammonium groups in AFB contributed a lot to the binding of anionic compounds through electrostatic attraction. In addition, n-π and hydrogen bonding while reduction and coordination were also responsible for the removal of CR and Cr(VI), respectively. The present study provides a favorable strategy for the removal of anionic contaminates in water by using green and sustainable lignocellulosic wastes.

The role of biomass elemental composition and ion-exchange in metal sorption by algae

The use of macroalgae, microalgae and cyanobacteria for metal sorption has been widely reported. Still, there are no studies allowing a direct comparison of the performance of these biomasses, especially while evaluating metal competition. The simultaneous sorption of Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ present in a multi-elemental solution by six macroalgae, two microalgae and three cyanobacteria was evaluated. Brown macroalgae were shown to be the most promising biosorbent, with Undaria pinnatifida having a total metal sorption capacity of 0.6 mmol g^-1. Overall, macroalgae performed better than microalgae, followed by cyanobacteria. Carboxyl groups were identified as being the main functional groups involved in metal sorption, and all biomass samples were found to be selective to Cu²⁺. This was linked not only to its higher complexation constant value with relevant functional groups when compared to the remaining metals, but also the Irving-Williams series. The release of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ to the aqueous solution during the metal sorption was followed. The obtained results suggest they are readily exchanged with metals in the solution, indicating the occurrence of an ion-exchange mechanism in metal sorption by most biomass. Red macroalgae are an exception to the reported trends, suggesting that their metal sorption mechanism may differ from the other biomass types.

Study of fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular mechanisms for the interaction of Hg2+ ions and R-phycoerythrin from marine algae (Porphyra yezoensis)

Heavy metal is a worldwide hazardous material, and many efforts were made to detect them sensitively and selectively. R-phycoerythrin (R-PE), a marine fluorescent protein, is abundant in red algae and participates in photosynthesis. In this work, the fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular mechanism of Hg2+ ions and R-PE were further explored through fluorescence spectrum measurements, time-resolved fluorescence lifetimes, peak fitting of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and molecular docking simulation in this study. It was proved by fluorescent spectrum measurements that Hg2+ ions could lead to static fluorescence quenching. Besides, the interaction was a spontaneous and exothermic process driven by hydrogen bond and Van der Waals (VDW) force. Importantly, Hg2+ ions bound to 78LYS and 82CYS on the α chain and 73CYS and 82CYS on the β chain, which resulted in the structural changes of the peptide chain and affected the secondary structure contents of R-PE. This study further explained the effect of Hg2+ ions on marine fluorescent protein R-PE.

Bioremediation of heavy metals from the aqueous environment using Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) seed as a novel biosorbent

Biosorption is an environment-friendly and economic technique to remediate heavy metals from aqueous systems. In the present study, Artocarpus heterophyllus seed powder was used as a biosorbent material to remove different heavy metals. The batch adsorption studies confirmed the higher removal percentage of the Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) seed powder for arsenic (As⁵⁺), cadmium (Cd²⁺), and chromium (Cr⁶⁺) while lower efficiency was observed for other heavy metals like copper (Cu²⁺), zinc (Zn²⁺) and nickel (Ni²⁺). Optimization of different process parameters was carried out and the optimum conditions were: adsorbent weight of 0.5 g for the initial concentration of heavy metals as 40 μg/L, 30 mg/L, and 30 mg/L; contact time of 10 h, 8 h, and 6 h; process temperature from 25 to 30 °C; pH of 7, 7.5, and 7.5 for As⁵⁺, Cd²⁺, and Cr⁶⁺ respectively. The SEM-EDX, FTIR, and XRD studies before and after adsorption of heavy metals resulted in affirmative observations. The equilibrium data of the study was well fitted for Langmuir isotherm for As⁵⁺, Cd²⁺, and Cr⁶⁺, Freundlich for As⁵⁺and Cr⁶⁺, Dubinin-Radushkevich for Cd²⁺and Cr⁶⁺. The kinetic and thermodynamic study confirmed that the adsorption of all three heavy metals was following the pseudo-second-order kinetics with the endothermic and spontaneous process respectively. The cost analysis of the process confirmed that the whole process was cost-effective compared to other processes. Hence the Artocarpus heterophyllus seed powder was verified for its high heavy metal remediation efficiency from aqueous environments along with the added advantages of being eco-friendly and economic compared to other alternatives.

New insights into the interactions between Pb(II) and fruit waste biosorbent

Fruit waste is a sustainable biosorbent for heavy metal removal from wastewater. Elucidation of adsorption mechanism is imperative for the process control and development of effective adsorbents. In this study, watermelon rind (WR) exhibited selective and efficient Pb(II) adsorption with a maximum uptake of 230.5 mg/g at pH 5.0. The WR-packed bed column showed high Pb(II) uptake and robust durability over 10 adsorption-desorption cycles with long breakthrough time of 8-13 h (89-144 bed volume), and 95% of sequestered Pb(II) was rapidly desorbed in 1-2 h by 0.05 M HCl. Spectroscopic characterization by FTIR and XPS identified hydroxyl, carboxyl, amine, and ether groups as the binding sites for Pb(II) via the binding force of complexation. Physicochemical analysis showed that ion exchange with Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ accounted for 19% of Pb(II) adsorption by WR; electrostatic attraction and microprecipitation jointly contributed. Quantum chemistry simulation verified the interactions between Pb(II) and binding sites and revealed carboxyl was the preferential functional group. The findings corroborate the applicability of WR in scale-up Pb(II) removal/recovery from wastewater and elaborate the mechanisms of Pb(II) adsorption by the WR biosorbent. This also provides insights into the behavior of heavy metals in other liquid/solid interfaces.

Screening of Spirulina strains for high copper adsorption capacity through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Microalgae have emerged as promising biosorbents for the removal of toxic metals from industrial effluents due to the presence of various free functional groups. While the constitutes are distinct among different algal strains, it needs to screen the algae with high adsorption capacities for heavy metal ions by analyzing the algal components. In this study, a rapid and nondestructive Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) method combined PCA algorithm was used to discriminate algal strains according to their cellular components. With FTIR spectroscopy, we have found that the algal strains for high copper adsorption capacity (RH44, XS58, AH53, and RZ22) can be well differentiated from other strains via assessing the components involved in the biosorption of copper ions at the spectral window range of 1,200–900 cm⁻¹ mainly attributed to polysaccharides. Correspondingly, the copper removal efficiency by different Spirulina strains was also measured by biochemical assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to confirm the screening result. Compared with the chemical measurement, the assessment based on spectral features appears fairly good in the evaluation and differentiation of copper adsorption capacity in various Spirulina strains. This study illustrates that FTIR spectroscopy may serve as a fast and effective tool to investigate the functional groups for copper ions binding in the Spirulina cell and it even offers a useful and accurate new approach to rapidly assess potential adsorbents for the high capacity of copper adsorption.

Sequestration of Anionic and Cationic Dyes through Thermally Activated Slate and Their Kinetics and Thermodynamic Characteristics

Adsorption is one of the most common and most robust techniques for the decontamination approach of effluents, owing to its design flexibility, simplicity, cost effectiveness, and high efficiency. However, its application is limited on a large scale due to its cost. The current study investigates the use of low-cost, ecofriendly, and ubiquitous thermally activated clay material. Thermally treated clay was used for the adsorption of crystal violet (CV), Congo red (CR), and malachite green (MG) organic dyes from aqueous solutions. Characterization of slate was carried out with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, N₂ physisorption, and XRF spectrometry. The adsorption process was studied as a function of concentration, time, pH, and temperature. Using the batch adsorption technique, the experimentally obtained adsorption data were fitted to both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption data followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the adsorption capacity was recorded as 360.12 mg/g for CV, 409.23 mg/g for CR, and 390.14 mg/g for MG. The good uptake is the outcome of a greater surface area (24.751 m²/g) for the slate activated at 873 K. The thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption process remained endothermic and spontaneous. Thermally activated slate proved itself to be an efficient adsorbent and can effectively be used for the removal of textile dyes from the contaminated water, and it is evident from the good uptake of the adsorbate by the adsorbent.

Modeling the Biosorption Process of Heavy Metal Ions on Soybean-Based Low-Cost Biosorbents Using Artificial Neural Networks

Pollution of the environment with heavy metals requires finding solutions to eliminate them from aqueous flows. The current trends aim at exploiting the advantages of the adsorption operation, by using some low-cost sorbents from agricultural waste biomass, and with good retention capacity of some heavy metal ions. In this context, it is important to provide tools that allow the modeling and optimization of the process, in order to transpose the process to a higher operating scale of the biosorption process. This paper capitalizes on the results of previous research on the biosorption of heavy metal ions, namely Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) on soybean biomass and soybean waste biomass resulting from biofuels extraction process. The data were processed by applying a methodology based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) and evolutionary algorithms (EAs) capable of evolving ANN parameters. EAs are represented in this paper by the differential evolution (DE) algorithm, and a simultaneous training and determination of the topology is performed. The resulting hybrid algorithm, hSADE-NN was applied to obtain optimal models for the biosorption process. The expected response of the system addresses biosorption capacity of the biosorbent (q, mg/g), the biosorption efficiency (E, %), as functions of input parameters: pH, biosorbent dose (DS, mg/g), the initial concentration of metal in the solution (c0, mg/L), contact time (tc, h), and temperature (T, °C). Models were developed for the two output variables, for each metal ion, finding a high degree of accuracy. Furthermore, the combinations of input parameters were found which can lead to an optimal output in terms of biosorption capacity and biosorption efficiency.

Modeling and Optimization of Heavy Metals Biosorption by Low-Cost Sorbents Using Response Surface Methodology

This paper exploits, through modeling and optimization, the experimental laboratory data on the biosorption of heavy metal ions Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) from aqueous media using soybean and soybean waste biomasses. The biosorption modeling was performed using the Response Surface Methodology, followed by optimization based on numerical methods. The aim of the modeling was to establish the most probable mathematical relationship between the dependent variables (the biosorption efficiency of the biosorbents when adsorbing metal ions, R(%), and the biosorption capacity of sorbents, q(mg/g)) and the process parameters (pH; sorbent dose, DS (g/L); initial metal ion concentration in solution, c0 (mg/L); contact time, tc (min); temperature, T (°C)), validated by methodologies specific to the multiple regression analysis. Afterward, sets of solutions were obtained through optimization that correlate various values of the process parameters to maximize the objective function. These solutions also confirmed the performance of soybean waste biomass in the removal of heavy metal ions from polluted aqueous effluents. The results were validated experimentally.

Heavy metal-contained wastewater in China: Discharge, management and treatment

A large amount of heavy metal-contained wastewater (HMW) was discharged during Chinese industry development, which has caused many environmental problems. This study reviewed discharge, management and treatment of HMW in China through collecting and analyzing data from China's official statistical yearbook, standards, technical specifications, government reports, case reports, and research paper. Results showed that industry wastewater discharged by an amount of about 221.6 × 10⁸ t (in 2012), where emission of heavy metals including Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), T-Cr was around 388.4 t (in 2012). Heavy metal emission with wastewater in east China and central south China was observed to be graver than that in other areas. However, control of heavy metals in Pb and Cd in northwest China was more difficult compared with other areas. In terms of management, China's government has issued many wastewater discharge standards, strict management policies for controlling HMW discharge in recent years, resulting in reduced HMW discharge. In addition, main HMW treatment technology in China was chemical precipitation, and other technologies such as membrane separation, adsorption, ion exchange, electrochemical and biological methods were also occasionally applied. In the future, chemical industries will be concentrated in northwest China, therefore control of HMW discharge should be paid much more attention in those areas. In addition, more effective and environment-friendly heavy metal removal and regeneration technologies should be developed, such as biomaterials adsorbent.

Preparation of black cumin seed oil Pickering nanoemulsion with enhanced stability and antioxidant potential using nanocrystalline cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunch

The groundbreaking innovation and industrialization are ushering in a new era where technology development is integrated with the sustainability of materials. Over the decade, nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) obtained from lignocellulosic biomass had created a great value in various aspects. The abundantly available empty fruit bunch (EFB) in the palm oil industry has motivated us to utilize it as a sustainable alternative for the isolation of NCC, which is a worthwhile opportunity to the waste management of EFB. Taking advantage of the shape anisotropy and amphiphilic character, NCC has been demonstrated as a natural stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsion. In this work, preparation of highly stable Pickering nanoemulsion using black cumin seed oil and NCC was attempted. Black cumin seed oil is a class of plant oil with various nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits. However, its poor solubility could substantially lower the therapeutic effect, and thus, requires a delivery system to overcome this limitation. The role of NCC in the formation of stable Pickering nanoemulsion was investigated. The emulsification process was found crucial to the resulting droplet size, whereas NCC contributed critically to its stabilization. The droplet size obtained from ultrasonication and microfluidization was approximately 400 nm, as examined using transmission electron microscopy. The droplet (oil-to-water = 2:8) has long-term stability against creaming and coalescence for more than six months. The nanoemulsion stabilized by NCC could allow a better absorption by the human body, thereby maximizing the potential of black cumin seed oil in the personal care and food industries.

Chitosan immobilization and Fe3O4 functionalization of olive pomace: An eco-friendly and recyclable Pb2+ biosorbent

An effective and sustainable biosorbent (MagOPIC) was prepared from chitosan and olive pomace by the combined action of immobilization and magnetic modification to remediate Pb²⁺-contaminated waters. Pb²⁺ sorption yield at the end of the equilibrium (45 min) period was estimated to be 98.56 ± 0.28% at pH 5.5. Agitation speed, ionic strength, and temperature did not significantly affect the Pb²⁺ biosorption. Biosorption kinetics are successfully fitted by the pseudo-second-order equation while the equilibrium biosorption data are properly modeled using the Freundlich and D-R isotherms. MagOPIC has also exhibited a high biosorption yield in the column tests (≥99%) and showed remarkable stability up to twenty consecutive regeneration cycles. Furthermore, it was successfully used for the treatment of Pb²⁺ containing real wastewater. The findings of this work highlighted the potential use of MagOPIC as a novel, cost-effective and eco-friendly biosorbent for the Pb²⁺ removal from the contaminated aquatic phase.