Title: Sequestering of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions by using a lignocellulosic material

Authors: Rajeev Chandraghatgi, Peter Englezos

Addresses: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. ' Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada

Abstract: The ability of Brown Stock Washer (BSW) unbleached kraft pulp and Chemi-Thermo-Mechanical Pulp (CTMP) to sequester heavy metals was studied. The BSW pulp is chemically produced while the CTM one is produced by mechanical treatment aided by some chemicals. The two pulps were rendered in their protonated form and then equilibrated with two aqueous solutions of metals. One was ocean water and the other was a laboratory prepared solution of metal ions. Both pulps were able to remove metal ions from the solution in a one-stage procedure. The overall metal removal efficiency of CTMP was in general greater than that of the BSW pulp for the low concentration metals.

Keywords: wood pulp fibres; heavy metals; sequestration; biosorption; ocean water; metal ions; brown stock washer; BSW unbleached kraft pulp; chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp; CTMP; environmental pollution; lignocellulosic materials.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2008.018414

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2008 Vol.32 No.4, pp.509 - 518

Published online: 21 May 2008 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article