Mathematically modeling the removal of heavy metals from a wastewater using immobilized biomass

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00021a005· OSTI ID:5409699

Trujillo, E M ^[1]; Jeffers, T H; Ferguson, C; Stevenson, H Q ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City (United States)
2. Bureau of Mines, Salt Lake City (United States)

A technique developed by the US Bureau of Mines using biomass, sphagnum peat moss, immobilized in porous polysulfone beads selectively removed Zn, Cd, and other metals from a zinc mining wastewater to concentrations well below the National Drinking Water Standards. The objective of this paper was to obtain experimental data on the biosorption of several heavy metals onto the beads containing sphagnum peat moss and to develop the appropriate mathematical models that might be used to describe the multicomponent phenomena. Nonequilibrium multicomponent mathematical models were developed and experimental data obtained for the simultaneous, competitive adsorption of six metal ions from an actual wastewater for both batch kinetic and semicontinuous packed-bed experiments. Experimental results indicated a selectivity order of Al > Cd > Zn > Ca > Mn > Mg and that metal ion breakthroughs were quite sensitive to ionic concentrations and adsorptive capacity. In addition, it was observed that, for the packed-bed experiments, the adsorptive capacity of the beads appeared to increase after the first few cycles. Mathematical models provided effective multicomponent equilibrium constants, adsorptive capacities, and reduced overall mass-transfer coefficients. The constants obtained from the packed-bed model were in reasonable agreement with those obtained from the batch kinetic model.

• OSTI ID: 5409699
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States) Vol. 25:9; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ADSORPTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
CADMIUM
CALCIUM
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMMOBILIZED CELLS
INFORMATION
KINETIC EQUATIONS
LIQUID WASTES
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATTER
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACKED BEDS
PEAT
POLYMERS
REMOVAL
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SULFONES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
ZINC