Exploring the biosorption of nickel and lead by Fusarium sp. biomass: kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic assessment

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2024-10, Vol.31 (49), p.59592-59609
• Main Authors: Moreira, Daniele, Alves, Gabriela Souza, Rodrigues, João Marcos Madeira, Estevam, Bianca Ramos, Sales, Douglas Henrique, Américo-Pinheiro, Juliana Heloisa Pinê, Vasconcelos, Ana Flora Dalberto, Boina, Rosane Freire
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adsorbents; Adsorption; Aquatic Pollution; Aqueous solutions; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomass; biosorbents; Biosorption; Chemical composition; Chemisorption; cost effectiveness; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Effectiveness; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; filtration; Functional groups; fungal biomass; Fusarium; Fusarium - metabolism; Isotherms; Kinetics; Lead; Metal concentrations; Multilayers; Nickel; Nickel - chemistry; ovens; Research Article; Surface area; Surface charge; Thermal stability; Thermodynamic properties; Thermodynamics; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollution Control; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-35192-8

Fungal biomass is as a cost-effective and sustainable biosorbent utilized in both active and inactive forms. This study investigated the efficacy of inactivated and dried biomass of Fusarium sp. in adsorbing Ni 2+ and Pb 2+ from aqueous solutions. The strain underwent sequential cultivation and was recovered by filtration. Then, the biomass was dried in an oven at 80 ± 2 °C and sieved using a 0.1-cm mesh. The biosorbent was thoroughly characterized, including BET surface area analysis, morphology examination (SEM), chemical composition (XRF and FT-IR), thermal behavior (TGA), and surface charge determination (pH-PZC and zeta potential). The biosorption mechanism was elucidated by fitting equilibrium models of kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamic to the data. The biosorbent exhibited a neutral charge, a rough surface, a relatively modest surface area, appropriate functional groups for adsorption, and thermal stability above 200 °C. Optimal biosorption was achieved at 25 ± 2 °C, using 0.05 g of adsorbent per 50 mL of metallic ion solution at initial concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 mg L −1 and at pH 4.5 for Pb 2+ and Ni 2+ . Biosorption equilibrium was achieved after 240 min for Ni 2+ and 1440 min for Pb 2+ . The process was spontaneous, mainly through chemisorption, in monolayer for Ni 2+ and multilayer for Pb 2+ , with efficiencies of over 85% for both metallic ion removal. These findings underscore the potential of inactive and dry Fusarium sp. biomass (IDFB) as a promising material for the biosorption of Ni 2+ and Pb 2+ . Graphical Abstract