A BIOSEPARATION PROCESS FOR REMOVING LEAD(II) IONS FROM WASTE-WATER BY USING C-VULGARIS

Biosorption of heavy metals by microbial cells has been recognized as a potential alternative to existing technologies for removing heavy metals from industrial waste waters. Many aquatic microorganisms, such as algae, can take up dissolved metals from their surroundings to their cells. In this study, the adsorption of lead(II) ions was investigated in a single-staged batch reactor. Chlorella vulgaris, a green alga, was used as the sorbent. The sorption phenomenon was expressed by the Freundlich adsorption isotherm and this expression was used for the calculation of residual or adsorbed metal ion concentration at equilibrium (C(eq) or C(x,eq)) at a given 'volume of waste water containing heavy metal ion/quantity of alga (V(o)/X(o))' ratio in a single-staged batch reactor. Experimental C(eq) and C(x,eq) values were compared to calculated ones. Applications in waste water treatment for lead(II) removal have been suggested.