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Sorption kinetics of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions from aqueous solution by Nipah palm (Nypa fruticans Wurmb) shoot biomass Donbebe Wankasi Michael Horsfall Jnr* Ayabaemi Ibuteme Spiff *Corresponding author Financial support: This project was supported by a research grant from the senate of the University of Port Harcourt. The authors therefore wish to thank the University of Port Harcourt Senate for approving an NUC Research Grant for this work. Keywords: adsorption, heavy metal binding, Nipah palm.
The sorption kinetics of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions in aqueous solution by unmodified and mercaptoacetic acid modified biomass of Nypa fruticans shoot has been investigated. The equilibrium sorption capacity of Pb2+ and Cu2+ was determined from the Langmuir equation and found to be 15.59 mg/g and 21.85 mg/g for unmodified biomass and 52.86 mg/g and 66.71 mg/g for modified biomass at 30ºC. The time dependent studies showed relatively rapid sorption of 5 - 10 min to reach equilibrium for both metal ions. A batch sorption model, based on the assumption of the pseudo-second-order mechanism, was applied to predict the rate constants (g mg-1 min-1), which were found to be 3.59 x 10-4 (Pb2+) and 1.85 x 10-4 (Cu2+) and 2.82 x 10-2 (Pb2+) and 3.67 x 10-2 (Cu2+) on unmodified and mercaptoacetic acid modified biomass respectively. The activation energy of the sorption of Pb2+ and Cu2+ on Nypah palm reveals an endothermic process. |
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