Qualitative assessments of the biomass from oil palm calyxes and its application in heavy metals removal from polluted water

The efficiency of oil palm calyxes (OPC) in removing heavy metals from aqueous solution is presented in this report. Qualitative analyses showed the participation of hydroxyl, carboxylate and methoxyl groups in the binding process. OPC surface was observed to be amorphous, highly ordered and multilayered. Quantitative analyses indicated that the removal of Cd2+, Pb2+ and Ni2+ occurred at fast kinetics, with uptake of 38.24, 47.66 and 32.61 mg/g respectively, after 5 min. Optimum Cr3+ adsorption was however not reached after 3 h, indicating slow kinetics. Pseudo-second-order model best described the kinetics of the adsorption, suggesting chemisorption as the rate-limiting step. Metal uptake increased with rise in adsorbate concentration. However, no further rise in uptake was observed with increase in Pb2+ concentration beyond 200 mg/L. Data from the sorption of Cd2+, Ni (2+) and Cr3+ were best described by Freundlich isotherm, while those of Pb2+ obeyed Langmuir isotherm, with maximum adsorption capacity (q(max)) of 120.48 mg/g. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the removal of Cd2+, Ni2+ and Cr3+ was exothermic and occurred with decreased disorderliness, while Pb2+ removal was endothermic with increased entropy. The negative values of Delta G degrees indicated the spontaneity of the biosorption of Cd2+, Pb2+, Ni2+ and Cr3+ onto OPC.