title: Experimental studies on removal of microcystin-LR by peat.
abstract: Cyanotoxins have caused worldwide concerns for their eclectic occurrence and toxic effects, which led to an intensive search of cost-effective techniques for their removal from contaminated waters. A range of biomaterials was tested for their efficacy to adsorb a potent cyanotoxin, microcystin-LR (MCLR). Among these sorbents, peat showed the maximum efficacy to sequester MCLR. The BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) surface area of peat was found to be 12.134 m(2)/g. The pH of the reaction media played a significant role in removal of MCLR; maximum adsorption occurred at pH 3. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption of MCLR onto peat was a rapid process. The adsorption capacity (Q(max)) from the Langmuir model was found to be 255.7 μg/g at pH 3. Among various desorption media studied, strong alkali (2N NaOH) showed highest desorption (94%).
authors.affiliation: Singapore-Delft Water Alliance, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sathishkumar
authors.affiliation: Singapore-Delft Water Alliance, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore; Division of Environmental Science & Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavagadhi
authors.affiliation: Singapore-Delft Water Alliance, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vijayaraghavan
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Science & Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore; Singapore-Delft Water Alliance, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore. Electronic address: eserbala@nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Science & Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ong
mesh_terms: D007700:Kinetics; D008387:Marine Toxins; D052998:Microcystins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012987:Soil; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins; D052998:Microcystins; D012987:Soil; C057862:cyanoginosin LR