EVALUATION OF TREATMENT TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASING THE UPTAKE OF METAL-IONS FROM SOLUTION BY NONLIVING BIOMASS DERIVED FROM SEVERAL STRAINS OF LICHEN, SPHAGNUM (PEAT) MOSS, AND EICHHORNIA-CRASSIPES (WATER HYACINTH) ROOT

The effects of different pretreatments on the subsequent uptake of met al ions from biomass solution derived from seven strains of dried, non living fructicose lichen, peat moss, and water hyacinth root were inve stigated. The lichens Ramalina stenospora, Parmotrema praesorediosum, Platismatia glauca, Cladonia abbreviatula, Cladina evansii, Letharia v ulpina, and Alectoria sarmentosa, as well as Sphagnum (peat) moss, and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) root were treated separately wi th each of the following: cold water (25 degrees C), warm water (60 de grees C), acetone, 0.1% EDTA, 0.1 M HNO3, 0.1 M HNO3, 0.1 M NaOH, and 1 M NaOH for 15 min, except for 0.1 M HNO3 and 0.1 M NaOH treatments w hich were carried out for 15 and 30 min each. The percentages of Pb, C u, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Co, Au, and Ag subsequently removed from 5 ppm metal solutions at pH 2 to 6 by each treated biomass were compared wit h the percentage removal by untreated biomass under the same condition s. The treatments were most effective in increasing metal ion uptake f or those elements which were not bound to a very high degree by untrea ted biomass. The pH binding dependence was altered to some extent with a greater degree of binding observed at low pH values by biomass trea ted with acid. Lead and copper binding was little affected by any trea tment. For certain strains, 0.1 M NaOH treatment produced a subsequent uptake of Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd at levels reaching 100% of the initial m etal available. Both acidic and basic treatment increased the uptake o f Au, and Ag to nearly 100%.