Biosorption of nickel(II) ions onto Sargassum wightii: application of two-parameter and three-parameter isotherm models.

Biosorption of nickel(II) ions from aqueous solution onto Sargassum wightii has been studied and the equilibrium isotherms were determined. The experimental data obtained at different pH conditions (pH 3.0-4.5) have been analyzed using five two-parameter models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich and Flory-Huggins) and five three-parameter models (Redlich-Peterson, Sips, Khan, Radke-Prausnitz and Toth). In order to determine the best fit isotherm, three error analysis methods were used to evaluate the data: correlation coefficient, residual root mean square error and chi-square test. The error analysis demonstrated that the three-parameter models better described the nickel biosorption data compared to two-parameter models. In particular, Toth equation provided the best model for nickel biosorption data at all pH conditions examined.

Batch and column studies on biosorption of acid dyes on fresh water macro alga Azolla filiculoides.

The biosorption of Acid red 88 (AR88), Acid green 3 (AG3) and Acid orange 7 (AO7) by deactivated fresh water macro alga Azolla filiculoides was investigated in batch mode. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were used for the mathematical description of the batch biosorption equilibrium data and model constants were evaluated. The adsorption capacity was pH dependent with a maximum value of 109.0 mg/g at pH 7 for AR88, 133.5 mg/g at pH 3 for AG3 and 109.6 mg/g at pH 3 for AO7, respectively, was obtained. The pseudo first and second order kinetic models were also applied to the experimental kinetic data and high correlation coefficients favor pseudo second order model for the present systems. The ability of A. filiculoides to biosorb AG3 in packed column was also investigated. The column experiments were conducted to study the effect of important design parameters such as initial dye concentration (50-100 mg/L), bed height (15-25 cm) and flow rate (5-15 mL/min) to the well-adsorbed dye. At optimum bed height (25 cm), flow rate (5 mL/min) and initial dye concentration (100 mg/L), A. filiculoides exhibited 28.1mg/g for AG3. The Bed Depth Service Time model and the Thomas model were used to analyze the experimental data and the model parameters were evaluated.