Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Removal of copper and cadmium in acid mine drainage using Ca-alginate beads as biosorbent

  • Article
  • Published:
Geosciences Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Biosorption experiments were performed to investigate the ability of Ca-alginate beads as biosorbent for the removal of Cu and Cd in acid mine drainage (AMD). From the results of batch experiments, the removal efficiencies of both Cu and Cd for Ca-alginate beads were found to increase to 95% within 3 hours in the temperature range of 15–40 °C, indicating that it is possible to treat AMD using Ca-alginate beads within a short time period under various field conditions. For the column experiments, 381.8 g of Ca-alginate beads was packed in a Pyrex column (2.5 cm in diameter and 100 cm in height) and 119.7 liters (900 pore volumes) of AMD from the Ilgwang mine in Korea was successfully treated. The Cu and Cd removal efficiencies were maintained at levels higher than the Korean remediation goal (86% for Cu and 58% for Cd) and it was possible to treat more than 300 mL of AMD using only 1 g of Ca-alginate beads. Although AMD with a pH below 3 was injected into the column, the pH of the effluents was maintained above 3 for 1,140 pore volumes of flushing due to the buffer action of the beads. In SEM/EDS analysis of the Ca-alginate beads after the experiment, void spaces of the beads were found to be filled with precipitates of heavy metals, showing that Ca-alginate beads can be successfully used as a biosorbent for the removal of Cu and Cd in AMD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abu Al-Rub, F.A., El-Naas, M.H., Benyahia, F., and Ashour, I., 2004, Biosorption of nickel on blank alginate beads, free and immobilized algal cells. Process Biochemistry, 39, 1767–1773.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akcil, A. and Koldas, S., 2006, Acid Mine Drainage (AMD): cause, treatment and case studies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14, 1139–1145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An, B.R., Son, H.J., Chung, J.S., Choi, J.W., Lee, S.H., and Hong, S.W., 2013, Calcium and hydrogen effects during sorption of copper onto an alginate-based ion exchanger: Batch and fixed-bed column studies. Chemical Engineering Journal, 232, 51–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arica, M.Y., Arpa, C., Ergene, A., Bayramoglu, G., and Genc, O., 2003, Ca-alginate as a support for Pb(II) and Zn(II) biosorption with immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Carbohydrate Polymers, 52, 167–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azapagic, A., 2004, Developing a framework for sustainable development indicators for the mining and minerals industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 12, 639–662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bai, J., Fan, F., Wu, X., Tian, W., Zhao, L., Yin, X., Fan, F., Li, Z., Tian, L., Wang, Y., Qin, Z., and Guo, J., 2013, Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies of uranium biosorption by calcium alginate beads. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 126, 226–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhat, S.D. and Aminabhavi, T.M., 2006, Novel sodium alginate-Na+ MMT hybrid composite membranes for pervaporation dehydration of isopropanol, 1, 4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran. Separation and Purification Technology, 51, 85–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee, S.K., Bhattacharjee, I., and Chandra, G., 2010, Biosorption of heavy metals from industrial waste water by Geobacillus thermodenitrificans. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 175, 117–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, J.C., 2005, Field experiment on AMD treatment using apatite and fish bone at the Ilkwang mine. Economic Environmental Geology, 38, 563–570. (in Korean with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chojnacka, K., Chojnacki, A., and Gorecka, H., 2005, Biosorption of Cr3+, Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions by blue-green algae Spirulina spp: kinetics, equilibrium and the mechanism of the process. Chemosphere, 59, 75–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chung, J.H., 2007, A Study on removal of tri and hexavalent chromium ions using alginate beads. Ph.D. Thesis, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 211 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, M.C., Martins, M., Jesus, C., and Duarte, J.C., 2008, Treatment of acid drainage by sulphate-reducing bacteria using low cost matrices. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 189, 149–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dada, A.O., Olalekan, A.P., Olatunya, A.M., and Dada, O., 2012, Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms studies of equilibrium sorption of Zn2+ unto phosphoric acid modified rice husk. IOSR Journal of Applied Chemistry, 3, 38–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, T.A., Volesky, B., and Mucci, A., 2003, A review of the biochemistry of heavy metal biosorption by brown algae. Water Research, 37, 4311–4330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Degefu, D.M. and Dawit, M., 2013, Chromium removal from Modjo tannery wastewater using Moringa stenopetala seed powder as an adsorbent. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 224, 1719–1728.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freundlich, H.M.F., 1906, Uber die adsorption in Losungen. Journal of Physical Chemistry, 57, 385–470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fomina, M. and Gadd, G.M., 2014, Biosorption: current perspectives on concept, definition and application. Bioresource Technology, 160, 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gadd, G.M., 2009, Biosorption: critical review of scientific rationale, environmental importance and significance for pollution treatment. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 84, 13–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giles, C.H., MacEvan, T.H., Najhwa, S.N., and Smith, D., 1960, Studies in adsorption.Part XI.A system of classification of solution adsorption isotherms and its use in diagnosis of adsorption mechanisms and measurement of surface area of solids. Journal of the Chemical Society, 111, 3973–3993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holan, Z.R. and Volesky, B., 1993, Biosorption of Cd by biomass of marine algae. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 41, 819–825.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D.B. and Hallberg, K.B., 2005, Acid mine drainage remediation options: a review. Science of the Total Environment, 338, 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang, D.H., Kwon, B.H., Yu, H.S., and Kim, S.O., 2010, Discharge characteristics of heavy metals in acid mine drainage from the abandoned Ilgwang mine. The Journal of Engineering Geology, 20, 79–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kashima, K. and Imai, M., 2012, Advanced membrane material from marine biological polymer and sensitive molecular-size recognition for promising separation technology. In: Ning, R.Y. (ed.), Advancing Desalination. InTech, Rijeka, p. 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, I., Lee, M., and Wang, S., 2014, Heavy metal removal in groundwater originating from acid mine drainage using dead Bacillus drentensis sp. Immobilized in polysulfone polymer. Journal of Environmental Management, 146, 568–574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiran, B. and Kaushik, A., 2008, Cyanobacterial biosorption of Cr(VI): application of two parameter and Bohart Adams models for batch and column studies. Chemical Engineering Journal, 144, 391–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiran, I., Akar, T., and Tunali, S., 2005, Biosorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) from aqueous solutions by pretreated biomass of Neurospora crassa. Process Biochemistry, 40, 3550–3558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KMOE (Korean Ministry of Environment), KMOA (Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs), and KMOOF (Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries), 2013, Rural environment improvement measures for improving the quality of life and welfare expansion. Final Report, Korea, 257 p.

  • Kumar, R., Bhatia, D., Singh, R., Rani, S., and Bishnoi, N.R., 2011, Sorption of heavy metals from electroplating effluent using immobilized biomass Trichoderma viride in a continuous packed-bed column. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, 65, 1133–1139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, R., Singh, R., Kumar, N., Bishnoi, K., and Bishnoi, N.R., 2009, Response surface methodology approach for optimization of bio sorption process for removal of Cr(VI), Ni(II) and Zn(II) ions by immobilized bacterial biomass sp. Bacillus brevis. Chemical Engineering Journal, 146, 401–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lagoa, R. and Rodrigues, J.R., 2009, Kinetic analysis of metal uptake by dry and gel alginate particles. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 46, 320–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir, I., 1916, The constitution and fundamental properties of solids and liquids. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 38, 2221–2295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, K.H., 2002, Application cases of environmental protection work for the abandoned Ilkwang Mine. 4th International Symposium on Mine Reclamation, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, April 25, p. 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay, W. L., 1979, Chemical Equilibria in Soils. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 472 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, L., Wan, Y.Z., Xie, Y.D., Zhai, R., Zhang, B., and Liu, J.D., 2012, The removal of dye from aqueous solution using alginate-halloysite nanotube beads. Chemical Engineering Journal, 187, 210–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milojkovic, J.V., Stojanovic, M.D., Mihajlovic, M.L., Lopicic, Z.R., Petrovic, M.S., Šoštaric, T.D., and Ristic, M.D., 2014, Compost of aquatic weed Myriophyllum spicatum as low-cost biosorbent for selected heavy metal ions. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 225, 1927–1936.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olds, W.E., Tsang, D.C.W., and Weber, P., 2013, Acid mine drainage treatment assisted by lignite-derived humic substances: Metal removal and speciation modeling. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 224, 1521–1532.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S., 2015, Study on the removal of heavy metals in the acid mine drainage using Ca-alginate beads. M.Sc. Thesis, Pukyong National University, Busan, 92 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, B. and Mortimer, R.J.G., 2011, Treatment of acid mine drainage using fly ash zeolite. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 218, 667–679.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, I. and Ensley, B.D., 2000, Phytoremediation of Toxic Metals Using Plants to Clean up the Environment. John Wiley and Sons, Toronto, 304 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehman, A. and Anjum, M.S., 2010, Cadmium uptake by yeast, Candida tropicalis, Isolated from industrial effluents and its potential use in wastewater clean-up operations. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 205, 149–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero-Gonzalez, M.E., Williams, C.J., and Gardiner, P.H.E., 2001, Study of the mechanisms of cadmium biosorption by seaweed waste. Environmental Science & Technology, 35, 3025–3030.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoubben, A., Blasi, P., Giovagnoli, S., Rossi, C., and Ricci, M., 2010, Development of a scalable procedure for fine calcium alginate particle preparation. Chemical Engineering Journal, 160, 363–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seo, H.N., Lee, M., and Wang, S., 2013, Equilibrium and kinetic studies of the biosorption of dissolved metals on Bacillus drentensis immobilized in biocarrier beads. Environmental Engineering Research, 18, 45–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, M., Kaushik, A., and Kaushika, C.P., 2011, Biosorption of reactive dye by waste biomass Q3 358 of Nostoc linckia. Ecological Engineering, 37, 1589–1594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, E.W., Thuong, N.T.L., and Yoo, I.K., 2007, Adsorption behavior of Pb2+ ions on alginate beads and capsules. Korean Chemical Engineering Research, 45, 166–171.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Environmental Sciences, Pukyong National University, 45, Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea

    Sumin Park & Minhee Lee

Authors
  1. Sumin Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Minhee Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Minhee Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Park, S., Lee, M. Removal of copper and cadmium in acid mine drainage using Ca-alginate beads as biosorbent. Geosci J 21, 373–383 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-016-0050-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-016-0050-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation