Biologically produced sulfur as a novel adsorbent to remove Cd2+ from aqueous solutions

Hyuck Soo Kim; Seok Soon Jeong; Jong Geon Lee; Jung-Hwan Yoon; Sang-Phil Lee; Kwon-Rae Kim; Sung Chul Kim; M B Kirkham; Jae E Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126470

Biologically produced sulfur as a novel adsorbent to remove Cd²⁺ from aqueous solutions

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Oct 5:419:126470. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126470. Epub 2021 Jun 24.

Authors

Hyuck Soo Kim¹, Seok Soon Jeong¹, Jong Geon Lee², Jung-Hwan Yoon¹, Sang-Phil Lee¹, Kwon-Rae Kim³, Sung Chul Kim⁴, M B Kirkham⁵, Jae E Yang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea.
² Gangwon Institute of Health and Environment, Chuncheon 24203, Republic of Korea.
³ Department of Smart Agro-Industry, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Biological Environment and Chemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
⁵ Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-0110, USA.
⁶ Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yangjay@kangwon.ac.kr.

PMID: 34216960
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126470

Abstract

Biological desulfurization processes of landfill gas yield an enormous amount of biologically produced S (BPS) as a byproduct. Capability of BPS to remove Cd²⁺ from aqueous solutions was tested and its removal efficiency was compared to that of granular activated carbon (GAC). Kinetics of Cd²⁺ removal by BPS was a two-stage process with an initial rapid adsorption showing 45% of initial Cd²⁺ was removed within 5 min, followed by a slower adsorption. Cadmium adsorption onto the BPS fitted the Langmuir isotherm model and maximum adsorption capacity of the BPS (63.3 mg g^-1) was 1.8 times higher than that of GAC (36.1 mg g^-1). Thermodynamic parameters showed that Cd²⁺ adsorption by BPS was favorable and endothermic. Data from XPS proved the main adsorption mechanism to be complexation of Cd²⁺ with sulfides in the BPS. Results demonstrated that BPS can be recycled as a novel adsorbent for Cd²⁺ removal from wastewater.

Keywords: Activated carbon; Adsorption isotherm; Adsorption mechanism; Biologically produced S; Cadmium.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Cadmium* / analysis
Charcoal
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Kinetics
Solutions
Sulfur
Thermodynamics
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Solutions
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Cadmium
Charcoal
Sulfur