Adsorptive remval of heavy metals from Esfahan uranium conversion facility (UCF) wastewater by bagass impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract

The adsorptive removal of heavy metals (U, Ni and Cu) from Esfahan Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) wastewater was studied in the laboratory by means of batch method using a magnetic biosorbent composed of nanoparticles of magnetite coverd with sugarcane bagas. The findings indicated that the prepared magnetic biosorbent is suitable for the removal of heavy metals. Furthemore, pH of 5 and equilibrium time of 90 min were adequate to set out the optimum condition of heavy metal biosorption process. The kinetic data were fitted well to a pseudo-second-order rate equation. On the other hand, the results showed that biosorption capacity is decreased by increasing the biosorben dosage. The FT-IR analysis of the adsorbent before and after entering into the contact with wastewater showed that functional groups of hydroxyl, carboxyl and amine have the most important role in the heavy metal biosorption.

Keywords

• heavy metals removal
• magnetic biosorbent
• bagass
• wastewater
• kinetics