title: Cadmium Removal from Aqueous Systems Using Opuntia albicarpa L. Scheinvar as Biosorbent.
abstract: The aim of this research was to investigate the use of a natural adsorbent like nopal (Opuntia albicarpa L. Scheinvar) for removing cadmium from aqueous solutions with low concentrations of this metal. Two treatments were applied to the cladodes: a dehydration to get dehydrated nopal (DHN) and heating up to 90°C to obtain a thermally treated nopal (TN). After examining the effect of various pH values (2-7), the capacity of each biosorbent was examined in batch sorption tests at different dosages (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 mg L(-1)). The results indicated that adsorption of cadmium to biomass of DHN and TN was highly dependent on pH and biosorbent dosage. The best removal of cadmium (53.3%, corresponding to q e of 0.155 mg g(-1)) was obtained at pH 4.0 by using the TN sorbent. Infrared and Raman spectra confirmed that cadmium removal occurred via adsorption to -OH functional groups.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km 4.5, Ciudad Universitaria, 42067 Pachuca, HGO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rosa Icela
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Beltrán-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km 4.5, Ciudad Universitaria, 42067 Pachuca, HGO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gabriela Alejandra
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8351-8451
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km 4.5, Ciudad Universitaria, 42067 Pachuca, HGO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis Felipe
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Juárez-Santillán
authors.affiliation: Programa de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Pachuca, Ex-Hacienda de Santa Bárbara, Carretera Pachuca-Ciudad Sahagún Km 20, 43830 Zempoala, HGO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martínez-Ugalde
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km 4.5, Ciudad Universitaria, 42067 Pachuca, HGO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coronel-Olivares
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km 4.5, Ciudad Universitaria, 42067 Pachuca, HGO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos Alexander
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lucho-Constantino
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D018533:Biomass; D002104:Cadmium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D014867:Water