Heavy Metal Lead Removal by Biosorption – A Review

Abstract

Biosorption technique is increasingly researched and used in the biosorption of various heavy metals from industrial effluents over the past decades. Factors such as temperature, pH, initial metal ion concentration, biomass concentration and the metal affinity to the biosorbent, affect the efficiency of the biosorption capacity. Biosorbents such as large scale industrial fermentation by-products, agricultural waste, seaweeds, etc are used for lead removal. This article reviews the various research on biosorbents reported from 2013-2016, for the biosorption capacity & the kinetics and equilibrium isotherm models that the sorbents follow for optimum process. The thermodynamics of the process of certain biosorbents have also been selectively overviewed.