Biomass of mucor heimalis for the biosorption of cadmium from aqueous solutions: equilibrium and kinetic studies

TLDR: In this paper, the use of fungal biomass of Mucor heimalis for the removal of cadmium from aqueous solution in a batch system was investigated.

Abstract: The present study deals with the utilization of a cellulosic material, i.e. fungal biomass of Mucor heimalis, for the removal of cadmium from aqueous solution in a batch system. Effects of various parameters such as pH, biomass dosage, contact time, and initial metal concentrations were investigated. The sorption of cadmium followed pseudo-second-order rate kinetics (R2=0.998). Intraparticle diffusion was found not to be the sole rate-controlling step. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the sorption of cadmium was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic. Various isotherm models viz. Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin isotherms were applied. The Langmuir and Redlich–Peterson models were found to be in good agreement with experimental data with high R2, low RMSE, and low χ2 values. The Redlich–Peterson isotherm constant g was found to be unity, which implies a good fit to the Langmuir model. The maximum sorption capacity calculated from the Langmuir isotherm was 85.47 mg/g at optimum conditions of pH 6.0, contact time of 35 min, biomass dosage of 1g/L, and temperature of 25 oC.