title: Application of mucilage from Dicerocaryum eriocarpum plant as biosorption medium in the removal of selected heavy metal ions.
abstract: The ability of mucilage from Dicerocaryum eriocarpum (DE) plant to act as biosorption medium in the removal of metals ions from aqueous solution was investigated. Functional groups present in the mucilage were identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Mucilage was modified with sodium and potassium chlorides. This was aimed at assessing the biosorption efficiency of modified mucilage: potassium mucilage (PCE) and sodium mucilage (SCE) and comparing it with non-modified deionised water mucilage (DCE) in the uptake of metal ions. FTIR results showed that the functional groups providing the active sites in PCE and SCE and DCE include: carboxyl, hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. The chloride used in the modification of the mucilage did not introduce new functional groups but increased the intensity of the already existing functional groups in the mucilage. Results from biosorption experiment showed that DE mucilage displays good binding affinity with metals ions [Zn(II), Cd(II) Ni(II), Cr(III) and Fe(II)] in the aqueous solution. Increase in the aqueous solution pH, metal ions initial concentration and mucilage concentration increased the biosorption efficiency of DE mucilage. The maximum contact time varied with each species of metal ions. Optimum pH for [Zn(II), Cd(II) Ni(II) and Fe(II)] occurred at pH 4 and pH 6 for Cr(III). Kinetic models result fitted well to pseudo-second-order with a coefficient values of R(2) = 1 for Cd(II), Ni(II), Cr(III), Fe(II) and R(2) = 0.9974 for Zn(II). Biosorption isotherms conforms best with Freundlich model for all the metal ions with correlation factors of 0.9994, 0.9987, 0.9554, 0.9621 and 0.937 for Zn(II), Ni(II), Fe(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II), respectively. Biosorption capacity of DE mucilage was 0.010, 2.387, 4.902, 0688 and 0.125 for Zn(II), Cr(III), Fe(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) respectively. The modified mucilage was found to be highly efficient in the removal of metal ions than the unmodified mucilage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Resources Management, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Venda, X0950, South Africa. Electronic address: odojones@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bassey O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Venda, X0950, South Africa.
authors.forename: Odiyo O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: Molecular Science Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, P/Bag 3, WITS University, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Chimuka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luke
authors.affiliation: Centre for Renewable Energy and Water, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
authors.forename: Aoyi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochieng
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cross River State University of Technology, Cross River State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Bridget J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bassey
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D029601:Pedaliaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D011188:Potassium / Q000737:chemistry; D012964:Sodium / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Biosorption; Dicerocaryum eriocarpum plant; Heavy metals; Mucilage