BIOSORPTION OF COPPER BY SARGASSUM FLUITANS BIOMASS IN FIXED-BED COLUMN

The behavior of native and protonated Sargassum fluitans seaweed bioma ss packed in a fixed-bed was examined during a continuous removal of C u2+ from 35 mg/L aqueous solution at pH 5.0. The capacity of native an d protonated biomass, based on the dry weight of the native biomass, w ere determined to be 61.5 and 54.1 mg/g, respectively. During the satu ration of the native biomass with heavy metal, first Na+ and K+, follo wed by Mg2+ and Ca2+, were eluted from the fixed-bed before the breakt hrough time of the Cu. The pressure drop across the column varied with the ionic composition of the effluent from the bed, yielding an avera ge permeability coefficient of 2.7 . 10(-12)m(2). The void fraction of the interstices in the bed was estimated to be 0.27. No light metals were eluted from the column containing protonated biomass, and the pre ssure drop remained constant throughout the saturation.