Biosorption of heavy metals from sewage effluent using prickly pear cactus
Journal Title: Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) - Year 2017, Vol 10, Issue 2
Abstract
The practice of environmentally benign agents in the treatment of water is rapidly gaining interest due to their naturally renewable and available character and low harmfulness. Common Mexican cactus produces a gum-like substance, cactus mucilage, which shows excellent flocculating abilities and is an economically viable alternative for low-income communities. Mucilage of Opuntia ficus indica was used as a flocculating agent for heavy metals like Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu) and Chromium (Cr). Biosorption experiment was conducted using two types of treatments i.e. Dice-Cut-Pressed (DCP) cactus treatment and Extracted Mucilage Treatment (EMT). Results showed the mucilage efficiency for adsorbing heavy metals like Pb, Cd, Cu and Ni from wastewater as determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Nickel and Zn concentration was reduced by 72-77% with both DCP and EMT treatments. The Reduction (%) in Pb was higher than Ni and Zn, i.e., 90% with both extractants. Cd and Cu sorption was almost 100% by both the treatments. When quality of treated and untreated waste water effluent was compared with WHO (World Health Organization) standards for irrigation, treated waste water was found to be nearly fit for the irrigation. Results indicate that both the materials can potentially be used as sorbent for chemical pollutants.
Authors and Affiliations
Sidra Hassan, Asmat Un Nisa, Jalal Ud Din
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP39030
- DOI -
- Views 153
- Downloads 0
Modification of fly ash with chitosan in treating wastewater mining products containing Hg2+
Fly ash can be used as adsorbent, because it is cheap and effective to absorb the waste in the aquatic environment. Thus, fly ash has a main component in the form of silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), iron oxide (Fe2O3) and...
Effects of different rainwater harvesting methods on the growth rate of Pistacia atlantica under rigid environmental conditions
Applying rainwater harvesting methods is very important in arid and semi-arid regions because of rigid environmental conditions and growth limiting factors such as low rainfall and its irregular distribution, high evapot...
Assessing knowledge, awareness, and perception of traffic personnel in Iligan City, Philippines on urban air pollution
Field traffic enforcers are the forefront in directing traffic in which they are assigned in the busy streets filled with automobiles expelling fumes and are one of the populations that are constantly exposed to air poll...
How are our protected areas doing? management effectiveness of three protected areas in Ghana
The management effectiveness of three protected areas, Mole National Park (MNP) in the Northern Region, and the Shai Hills Resource Reserve (SHRR) and the Densu Delta Ramsar Site (DDRS) both in the Greater-Accra Region...
Soil physicochemical parameters and bacterial load influences the alkaline phosphatase activity: a study in sediment of brackish water systems along East-coast India
Alkaline phosphatase (E.C.3.1.3.1) is an extracellular enzyme which plays an important role in releasing of phosphorus from sediment which is an essential nutrient for sustaining primary and secondary productivity. It a...