Elimination of carcinogenic chromium(VI) by reduction at two-phase system

Biosorption of chromium (VI), iron (II), copper (II), and nickel (II) ions onto alkaline modified Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis in binary systems

The simultaneous biosorption of chromium (VI), copper (II), iron (II), and nickel (II) was investigated by alkaline-modified Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis in binary systems. The alkaline modified biosorbents were CV-KCl, SP-KCl, CV-Na2CO3, and SP-Na2CO3. The maximum removal efficiency recorded in this study was 99.7% with a biosorbent dosage of 0.3 g within a pH range of 2 to 6. The highest biosorption capacities obtained were 14.1, 13.5, 21.6, and 15.8 mg/g for Cr (VI), Cu (II), Fe (II), and Ni (II), respectively. The pseudo-second-order best described the biosorption rate, while the Langmuir isotherm model best described the biosorption equilibrium interaction. The values for Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) were in the range of 0.5 to 6.5 kJ/mol (Cr-Fe), 1.3 to 8.4 kJ/mol (Cr-Ni), and 3.9 to 11.3 kJ/mol (Cr-Cu) binary systems. This showed that the biosorption processes were characterized by physisorption reactions. The Temkin constant B values were in the range of 0.339 to 1.485 kcal/mol and the biosorption processes were largely exothermic reactions. The values for the Freundlich constant KF were between 1.4 and 10.4 (L/g), which indicated favourable biosorption. The Temkin isotherm model confirmed a strong binding affinity for Fe (II) and Ni (II). The results suggest that potassium chloride and sodium carbonate modification are very suitable for green algae and cyanobacteria for the efficient removal of heavy metals.

Novel Polymer Sorbents with Imprinted Task-Specific Ionic Liquids for Metal Removal

In this paper, the potential of novel polymer sorbents with the imprinted IL-functional group for the removal of Cu(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions was investigated by batch mode. The sorbents were fabricated by direct reaction of the prepared polymer matrix (poly(vinylbenzyl chloride-divinylbenzene), VBC, and poly(vinylbenzyl bromide-divinylbenzene), VBBr) with 1-(3- or 4-pyridyl)undecan-1-one and oxime of 1-(3- or 4-pyridyl)undecan-1-one. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman Spectroscopy (Raman), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques were used to show functionality and stability of the sorbents. The materials were also characterized by contact-angle goniometry, X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Zeta potential analysis. The removal of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) was monitored and optimized under the influence of several operational controlling conditions and factors such as pH, shaking time, temperature, initial metal ions concentration, and counter-ions at the functional group. The results obtained confirmed the very high potential of the sorbents; however, the properties depend on the structure of the functional group. The tested sorbents showed fast kinetics, significant capacity at 25 °C (84 mg/g for the Zn(II) sorption with VBC-Ox4.10, 63 mg/g for the Cd(II) sorption with VBBr-Ox3.10, and 69 mg/g for the Cu(II) sorption with VBC-K3.10), and temperature dependence (even 100% increase in capacity values at 45 °C). The selected sorbent can be regenerated without a significant decrease in the metal removal efficiency.