title: Marine macrophytes as effective lead biosorbents.
abstract: Several species of seagrass and marine macrophytes were investigated for their biosorption performance in the removal of lead from aqueous solution. The effect of pH on the equilibrium of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa as a biosorbent also was studied. It was found that increasing pH increased lead biosorption, with a maximum uptake of approximately 140 mg/g in the range pH 3.3 to 5. Equilibrium data at different pH levels were successfully fitted to competitive equilibrium models. In addition, the seaweeds belonging to different phyla (i.e., Chlorophyta, Heterokontophyta, and Rhodophyta) were studied for the effect of their structure on equilibrium at a constant pH 5. The brown algae (Heterokontophyta) showed the highest potential for lead sorption, with a maximum uptake of 220 mg/g for C. compressa and 140 mg/g for S. lomentaria. The green algae (Chlorophyta) showed lead uptake in the range 40 to 90 mg/g, and the red algae (Rhodophyta) was least effective, with uptake in the range 10 to 40 mg/g.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy. c.pennesi@univpm.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pennesi
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Totti
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Michelis
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beolchini
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D007854:Lead / Q000737:chemistry*; D008386:Marine Biology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007854:Lead