Biosorption of lead by the brown seaweed Sargassum filipendula - batch and continuous pilot studies

The biosorption of lead by the brown alga Sargassum filipendula was studied. pH 4.0 was the optimum value for the biosorption of lead. Isotherms indicated that for solutions containing 0.03 ± 0.001 up to 3.27 ± 0.04 mmol/L of lead, 2.0g/L was the optimum biomass concentration. The Langmuir model was fitted to represent the experimental data, and the kinetics of biosorption presented equilibrium in 30 min. The continuous system operated for 56 hrs presenting a 100% binding of ionic lead, which corresponds to an accumulation of 168 g lead, equivalent to a load of 1.7 mmol ionic lead/g Sargassum filipendula. The results that were obtained in a continuous system showed a gradual saturation of the biomass in the reactors.