Biosorption of Cadmium(II) cation by Spirogyra subsalsa biomass:

effect of immobilized biomass within sodium silicate

Mawardi Anwar1), Edison Munaf 2), Soleh Kosela 3) , Widayanti Wibowo3)

1) Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Science,

State University Padang, Padang 25131, Indonesia
2) Laboratory of Analytical Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics
and Science, Andalas University, Padang 25163, Indonesia
3) Laboratory of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Science,
Indonesia University, Depok 16424, Indonesia

Abstract

In this research were learned about biosorption cadmium(II) cation, by green

algae S. subsalsa biomass were immobilized within polysilicate matrix (sodium
silicate) was examined in a continuous packed-bed column. The effects of
operating parameters, such as flow rate, influent pH and infuent metals
concentration were investigated. Significanly, the immobilized biomass showed
IR spectrum not deference with free elgae biomass. The biosrption process were a
rapid process, wherein more than 50% of the final uptake value occur at rate flow
1.5 mL/minute. The biosorption capacities of biomass for cations increase rapidly
with pH between pH 2,0-3,0 then the maximum sorption was seen at pH 4,0. The
biosorptive capacity increased with initial concentartion in the range 50—200
mg/L. A comparison of the biosorption Cd2+ cation by immobilized and free algae
biomass showed an increase in uptake of over 8,84%. The immobilized biomass
could be regenerated using nitrate acid, HNO3, and significantly proportional with
used nitrate acid concentration, with up to Cd2+ cation recovery more than 80% by
HNO3 0,5 M. This study suggeststhat such an immobilized biosorbent system has
the potential to be used in the industrial removal and recovery of Cd2+ cation from
aqueous solution.
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Keyword : S. subsalsa, biosorption, desorption, sodium silicate, nitrate acid

Corresponding Author: mawardianwar@yahoo.com