Equilibrium Sorption Studies of Hg (II) Ions from Aqueous Solution using Powdered Swamp Arum (<i>Lasimorpha senegalensis</i>) Seeds

Abstract

The potential of swamp arum (Lasimorpha senegalensis) seeds as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of  Hg (II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated in this study. The influence of initial metal  concentration on the percent adsorption of Hg (II) ions onto powdered swamp arum seeds was studied in a batch system and the filtrate was analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The percent adsorbed for 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/L of the aqueous solution were 97.7, 98.9, 99.3, 99.7, and 96.5% respectively. Three isotherms; Langmuir, Freundlich, and BET were used to model the equilibrium sorption of Hg (II) ions onto powdered swamp arum seeds, with a correlation coefficient of 0.998, 0.784 and0.842 respectively. The Langmuir model fitted the equilibrium data best, with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 and a maximum adsorption capacity q<sub>m, of 5.917 mg/g. Thus, indicating monolayer coverage on the adsorbent. The results showed that swamp arum seed have the potential to be applied as alternative lowcost biosorbent in the remediation of heavy metal contamination in waste water. ©JASEM

Keywords: Equilibrium, sorption studies, ions, solution, swamp arum, seeds.</sub>