Batch and column study for Pb-II remediation from industrial effluents using glutaraldehyde-alginate-fungi biocomposites

Synthesis and comparative evaluation of calcium alginate beads (CABs), glutaraldehyde-crosslinked calcium alginate beads (GCCABs), Aspergillus caespitosus immobilized calcium alginate beads (ACABs), and A. caespitosus immobilized glutaraldehyde-crosslinked calcium alginate beads (AGCCABs) for accumulation and recovery of lead (Pb-II) was carried out in batch reactors followed by columns experiments. The crosslinking of calcium alginate with glutaraldehyde was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, porosity and surface area analysis. In batch reactor system, maximum uptake capacity (qmax mg g−1) was estimated as 398.4 ± 5.9, 413.8 ± 5.1, 651.6 ± 3.3 and 670 ± 2.5 for CAB, GCCAB, ACAB and AGCCAB, respectively. Isotherm data of Pb-II sorption were well consistent with Langmuir model. Column studies for Pb-II separation from paint industry effluent depicted removal efficiency order AGCCAB > ACAB > GCCAB > CAB giving 92.8, 83.7, 76.2 and 60.8% recovery using 0.01 M HCl from these next generation biosorbents, respectively. Sorption-desorption cyclic studies were performed upto three cycles using AGCCAB with no significant loss in column efficiency.