Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P. bag X021, Vanderbiljpark 1900, South Africa
Ofomaja, A.E., Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P. bag X021, Vanderbiljpark 1900, South Africa; Naidoo, E.B., Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P. bag X021, Vanderbiljpark 1900, South Africa
Biosorption kinetic modeling is frequently performed on both raw and modified biosorbents and changes in model parameters observed. Comparative studies on the relationship between best fitting model parameters and biosorption performance for raw and modified is scares in literature. In the present study, the effect of surface modification on the kinetic parameters of the best fitting kinetic model (pseudo-second order) for biosorption of lead(II) ions onto Raw and NaOH modified pine cone powder was examined and related with biosorption performance for each sample. Equilibrium biosorption studies performed showed that the Langmuir-1 isotherm gave a better fitting of the equilibrium data for all samples indicating that biosorption sites are homogenous regardless of surface modification. Based on the Langmuir-1 isotherm, a two-stage batch adsorber was designed to predict the minimum biosorbent amount to achieve a specified percentage lead(II) removal. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.
Adsorbers; Biosorbents; Comparative studies; Equilibrium data; Fitting model; Kinetic modeling; Kinetic models; Langmuirs; Lead ions; Lead removal; Model parameters; NaOH modification; Pine cone; Pseudo second order; Pseudo-second order model; Surface modification; Two stage; Adsorption; Isotherms; Kinetic parameters; Optimization; Process engineering; Biosorption