Biosorption of Heavy Metals Including Silver, Lead, Cadmium and Zinc by Using Dead Roots of Conocarpus eractus
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Background: Heavy metal contamination of aqueous systems is a persistent environmental concern because metals such as silver, lead, cadmium, and zinc are non-biodegradable and may accumulate in ecological systems. Biosorption using low-cost plant-derived biomass has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional treatment methods for the removal of toxic metals from wastewater. Objective: To evaluate the biosorption potential of dead root biomass of Conocarpus eractus for the removal of silver, lead, cadmium, and zinc from aqueous solutions under batch experimental conditions. Methods: Dead root biomass was pretreated, dried, and crushed for use as biosorbent. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out at room temperature using 0.1 g biomass in 20 mL of metal solutions at different initial concentrations. The reaction mixtures were shaken at 150 rpm, and adsorption performance was assessed over time, with the highest reported adsorption observed at 6 hours. Residual metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Adsorption behavior was further assessed using Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, while biosorbent characterization was performed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results: The biosorbent demonstrated substantial removal efficiency for the tested metals, with the highest reported removal observed for cadmium (98%), followed by zinc (96%), lead (90%), and silver (79%). Adsorption increased with contact time and approached the highest reported levels at 6 hours. Equilibrium adsorption capacity increased with concentration for lead, cadmium, and zinc, whereas silver showed comparatively variable performance. Isotherm analysis showed acceptable model fit for lead and cadmium, while zinc and silver showed poor conformity with both Freundlich and Langmuir models. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of functional groups potentially involved in metal binding, and SEM findings showed morphological differences between unloaded and loaded biomass. Conclusion: Dead root biomass of Conocarpus eractus showed promising biosorption potential for selected heavy metals, particularly cadmium, zinc, and lead, indicating its possible utility as a low-cost biosorbent for aqueous remediation. Further studies are needed to optimize operational conditions and assess regeneration potential.
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