Yusuf Kaya,a Özkan Aksakala,* and Handan Ucunb
a Department of Biology, Science and Arts Faculty, Atatürk University, Erzurum
25240, Turkey
b Department of Environmental Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Atatürk
University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
* Corresponding author: E-mail: oz_aksakal@yahoo.com;
Tel: +90 442 231 43 27
Abstract
In the present study we reported the feasibility of cone biomass Nordmann fir
(Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach. subsp. nordmanniana) as an alternative biosorbent to remove Pb(II) and Zn(II) metal
ions from aqueous solutions. The effects
of pH, initial metal concentration, biosorbent dosage and contact time were
studied in batch experiments. It was
found that the optimum pH for Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions removal by cone biomass was
pH 6.0. At the optimal conditions
metal ions biosorption was decreased as the initial metal concentration
increased. The maximum biosorption efficiency
of Nordmann fir was 82% and 56.2% at 5 mg/L initial metal concentration for
Pb(II) and Zn(II), respectively. The experimental
equilibrium data were evaluated by Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models.
Keywords: Biosorption; Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach. subsp. nordmanniana; Lead(II); Zinc(II); Isotherm