Comparative Study of Biosorption of Heavy Metals Using Living Green Algae Scenedesmus quadricauda and Neochloris pseudoalveolaris: Equilibrium and Kinetics

The biosorption of several heavy metals such as cobalt(II), chromium(III), lead(II), cadmium(II), nickel(II), and manganese(II) from aqueous systems on living microalgae cultures, Scenedesmus quadricauda and Neochloris pseudoalveolaris were studied under laboratories conditions. The kinetic and statistical parameters were calculated by using the data obtained from batch cultivation and well fitted a pseudo-first-order rate equation. The initial metal concentrations in solution were about 5-40 mg . L-1. According to the pseudo-second-order model, the biosorption capacities of Scenedesmus quadricauda for Co(II), Cr(III), Pb(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), and Mn(II) ions were found in the ranges of 2.14-52.48, 1.98-81.98, 8.05-4.26, 7.81-24.96, 2.17-55.71, and 3.54-75.20 mg g(-1), respectively. Kinetic studies revealed that the metal uptake capacity of each living green algae was rather fast. It was also observed that the biosorption kinetic rate decreased with increasing concentration for both microalgae. The application of diffusion-controlled models to the experimental results indicated that the contribution of intraparticle diffusion to the overall sorption kinetics was not very important. Results showed that Co(II), Cr(III), Pb(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), and Mn(II) ions could effectively be absorbed by using living microalga cultures from aqueous solutions.