Lead sorption from wastewaters by invasive Acer negundo L. biomass

Abstract

Due to the tendency of spreading out of its natural habitat and posing a menace to the surrounding species and biodiversity of the area under its influence, Acer negundo L. is known as the deciduous invasive tree species. Even though it is considered harmful for ecosystems, the biomass of this invasive species can be utilized for the purpose of wastewater remediation. A. negundo leaf biomass (AN) was investigated for its adsorption potential to bind the lead ions from an aqueous solution. The lead was selected for the sorption experiments, as it is a well-known pollutant often found in various industrial effluents. Acer negundo L. leaves were collected from the protected area of the outstanding natural landscape “Veliko ratno Ostrvo” in Belgrade. Experiments were carried out in a batch system under specific operational conditions. Precise amounts of sorbent were added in the Pb (II) solutions of known initial concentrations, and the optimal operational parameters were further evaluated. Parameters such as lead concentration, pH value, contact time, and sorbent dosage were tested and optimized for increasing the adsorption performance of the obtained sorbent. Maximum Pb (II) uptake occurred at pH 3,5 and sorbent dosage of 2 g/L. Very fast adsorption was noticed by the kinetic study, with equilibrium state achieved after the initial 2 min of sorbent (A. negundo)-sorbate (1 mol/L Pb (II) solution) contact. Obtained data were subjected to equilibrium modeling by using Langmuir and Freundlich equations. Maximum adsorption capacity reached 101,5 mg/g. According to these results, sorbent prepared from Acer negundo leaf powder has an outstanding potential to be applied for lead removal from contaminated waters.