8. Evaluation of the Activated Carbon Prepared from Algae Gracilaria for the Biosorption of Cu(II) from Aqueous Solutions
Akbar Esmaeili^*,Samira Ghasemi, Abdolhossein Rustaiyan 

Department of Chemical Engineering, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Marin Science and Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

Corresponding author: akbaresmaeili@yahoo.com  Tel : +989121484813 

ABSTRACT

In this study, the batch removal of copper(II) ions from aqueous solution and wastewater using marine red algae Gracilaria was investigated. Activated carbon prepared from Gracilaria by acid decomposition was used for this purpose. Activated carbon prepared marine alga were used as a low cost sorbent. The effect of pH, biosorption time, adsorbent dose, and metal ions concentration, were studied. The most effective pH was found to be 4.0. At the optimum pH (pH=4), the biosorption capacities were found in the range of  95.53 %, 93.72 % and 88.84 %, depending on initial concentration of 70, 100 and 150 , respectively. The optimum time was found to be 2 hours. The equilibrium adsorption data are fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Both the models represent satisfactorily the experimental data. The adsorption follows second order kinetic. This study shows that activated carbon prepared from algae is a valuable material for the removal of copper from aqueous solution and wastewater and a better substitute of using in activated marine red algae.

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