Adsorption of cadmium in vegetable sponge (Luffa cylindrica)

  • Cleber Antonio Lindino Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná/Campus de Toledo
  • Aryane Azevedo Marciniak Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná
  • Affonso Celso Gonçalves Junior Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná
  • Leonardo Strey Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná
Keywords: green chemistry, sustainability, toxic metal

Abstract

The use of biomass as an adsorbent material follows the principles of sustainability and Green Chemistry. Given the low cost, high abundance, easy availability and high adsorption capacity of the vegetable sponge (Luffa cylindrica), this study aimed to explore the adsorption process of the toxic metal cadmium (Cd). The parameters evaluated were pH, contact time, adsorption isotherms, thermodynamic parameters, percolation and desorption. The proposed method showed high retention of Cd ions, being 99.80% at pH 5.0 for the percolation method, more effective than with stirring, which had 89.6%. It is noteworthy that the vegetable sponge adsorbs significant amounts of Cd in the range of pH 4.0 to 6.0, indicating that is not necessary to adjust pH for most treatments in real samples. The Cd ion is spontaneous and favorably adsorbed by this material, according to the Freundlich isotherm model. According to the obtained results, it is feasible to use vegetable sponge as a material for the remediation of effluents due to high retention of Cd ions.

Author Biographies

Cleber Antonio Lindino, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná/Campus de Toledo
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais - Laboratório de Estudos em Química Analítica Limpa
Aryane Azevedo Marciniak, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná
Laboratório de Estudos em Química Analítica Limpa
Affonso Celso Gonçalves Junior, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agronomia - Laboratório de Estudos em Química Analítica Limpa
Leonardo Strey, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná
Departamento de Ciências Agrárias
Published
22/06/2014
Section
Papers