Development of Efficient Biosorption Technology for Removing Cadmium from Industrial Effluents

This research paper reports the efficiency of Senna Tora as a biosorbent for removing cadmium ions from industrial effluent. The biosorption capacity was found to be 4.6 mg/g Cd in batch mode experiments. The work included uptake capacity, an equilibrium study, and a column study at varying pH (2–9),contact time (5–60 min), biosorbent dosages (0.5-1g), and initial metal concentration (10 - 50 mg/L). Both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to study the dose- response behavior. Involvement of anhydride, hydroxyl, amine, alkane, and halide functional groups indicated by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Multilayer adsorption and multifunctional group interaction were studied by the Freundlich adsorption model, and FTIR analysis respectively. Both the studies explain the high adsorptive capacity of Biosorbents. The biomass was successfully implemented for the removal of cadmium from waste water. This Biosorbent shows a prominent behavior in both the medium that is pH 4 & pH 7. The viability of the biomass for commercial and technical utilization in effluent treatment appears high.