Metal binding stoichiometry and isotherm choice in biosorption

Silke Schiewer*, Ming Hung Wong

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

59 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Seaweeds that possess a high metal binding capacity may be used as biosorbents for the removal of toxic heavy metals from wastewater. The binding of Cu and Ni by three brown algae (Sargassum, Colpomenia, Petalonia) and one green alga (Ulva) was investigated at pH 4.0 and pH 3.0. The greater binding strength of Cu is reflected in a binding constant that is about 10 times as high as that of Ni. The extent of metal binding followed the order Petalonia Sargassum > Colpomenia > Ulva. This was caused by a decreasing number of binding sites and by much lower metal binding constants for Ulva as compared to the brown algae. Three different stoichiometric assumptions are compared for describing the metal binding, which assume either that each metal ion M binds to one binding site B forming a BM complex or that a divalent metal ion M binds to two monovalent sites B forming BM0.5 or B2M complexes, respectively. Stoichiometry plots are proposed as tools to discern the relevant binding stoichiometry. The pH effect in metal binding and the change in proton binding were well predicted for the B2M or BM0.5 stoichiometries with the former being better for Cu and the latter preferable for Ni. Overall, the BM0.5 model is recommended because it avoids iterations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3821-3828
Number of pages8
JournalEnvironmental Science and Technology
Volume33
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 1999

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Environmental Chemistry

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