Electron microscopy study of biosorbents from marine macro alga Durvillaeapotatorum

Biosorbents derived from the biomass of marine algae have shown to have hig h uptake capacities for heavy metals and the internal structure has been ge nerally assumed to be pseudo-homogenous. In this paper, the microstructures of biosorbents derived from Australian marine alga Durvillaea potatorum we re analysed using scanning electron microscopy. The structural components o f the biosorbent resembled fiber-like cylinders. The internal structure was a highly connected network of cylinders with varying sizes. Methods of dry ing and pre-treatment of the biomass also affected the details of the inter nal structure. Calcium chloride followed by thermal treatment provided the most uniform cylinder networks for the biosorbents. Heavy metal Cu2+ and Cd 2+ binding in the biomass was confirmed by using an electron probe microana lyser. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.