Heavy Metals Removal Using Biosorption by Olive Mill Solid Residue
Toxic heavy metals pose global threat to the environment. In this study, olive mill residue (OMR) was used in batch experiment to remove selected pollutants from aqueous solutions including Cd, Cu and Pb. The effect of several parameters such as solution pH, contact time, biosorbents concentration, OMR treatment procedure, metal ion concentration, and the presence of other metal species were studied to figure their influence on the uptake. Maximum metal sorption was found to occur at pH 5.5, an initial metal concentration of 50 mg/l, a shaking time of 60 min, a biosorbent concentration 0.05g/l and using the solid treated with distilled water. The equilibrium sorption data for single metal systems were described by the Langmuir isotherm model. The ability of this OMR to adsorb more than one metal ion from solution may increase its potential for application in the wastewater industry since most industrial effluents contain more than one metallic species. The results obtained show that the OMR, which has a very low economical value, may be used for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated with heavy metals.