Removal of Cd(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solution using dried water hyacinth as a biosorbent

Possible usages of dried water hyacinth as biosorbent for metal ions were investigated. A model describing the plant is presented on density functional theory DFT and verified experimentally with FTIR. The model shows that water hyacinth is a mixture of cellulose and lignin. Dried shoot and root were found as good sorbent for Cd(II) and Pb(II) at optimum dosage of 5.0 g/l and pH 5.0; equilibrium time was attained within 30–60 min. The removal using root and shoot were nearly equal and reached more than 75% for Cd and more than 90% for Pb. Finally the second-order kinetics was the applicable model. Hydrogen bonds of reactive functional groups like COOH play the key role in the removal process.

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► Molecular structure of water hyacinth is described with density functional theory and FTIR.
► Water hyacinth dry matter is effective and economic tool of pollution control.
► The removal of dried root and shoot removal were 75% for Cd and 90% for Pb.