Pb(II) biosorption from hazardous aqueous streams using Gossypium hirsutum (Cotton) waste biomass

Studies on the biosorptive ability of Gossypium hirsutum (Cotton) waste biomass outlined that smaller size of biosorbent (0.355 mm), higher biomass dose (0.20 g), 5 pH and 100 mg/L initial Pb(II) concentration were more suitable for enhanced Pb(II) biosorption from aqueous medium. The Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo second order kinetic model fitted well to the data of Pb(II) biosorption. Highly negative magnitude of Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) indicated that the process was spontaneous in nature. In addition to this surface coverage and distribution coefficient values of Pb(II) biosorption process were also determined. At optimized conditions Pb(II) uptake was more rapid in case of industrial effluents in comparison to synthetic solutions. FTIR spectroscopic analysis revealed that the main functional groups involved in the uptake of Pb(II) on the surface of G. hirsutum biomass were carboxyl, carbonyl, amino and alcoholic.