title: Electron microscopy study of biosorbents from marine macro alga Durvillaea potatorum.
abstract: Biosorbents derived from the biomass of marine algae have shown to have high uptake capacities for heavy metals and the internal structure has been generally assumed to be pseudo-homogenous. In this paper, the microstructures of biosorbents derived from Australian marine alga Durvillaea poratorum were analysed using scanning electron microscopy. The structural components of the biosorbent resembled fiber-like cylinders. The internal structure was a highly connected network of cylinders with varying sizes. Methods of drying and pre-treatment of the biomass also affected the details of the internal structure. Calcium chloride followed by thermal treatment provided the most uniform cylinder networks for the biosorbents. Heavy metal Cu2+ and Cd2+ binding in the biomass was confirmed by using an electron probe microanalyser.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Engineering, Griffith University, Qld, Australia. Jimmy.yu@mailbox.gu.edu.au
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaewsarn
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Duong
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001682:Biological Availability; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D000459:Phaeophyceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical