XANTHATION OF SAWDUST WASTE FOR ADSORPTION OF LEAD IONS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Heavy metals in industrial effluents have contaminated natural waters compromising the health of humans and animals. Traditional methods eliminate these metals from wastewater but they are costly or ineffective at low metal concentrations for which alternative methods are required. We investigated the adsorption of lead on xanthated sawdust (CS2 treatment). Kinetic and pH tests, adsorption isotherms and infrared spectroscopy were performed. Kinetic studies indicated that adsorption equilibrated at 120 min following a kinetic model of pseudo-second order. The adsorption capacity was 72 mg Pb2+ g-1 (maximum at pH 5, Freundlich type isotherm, 98% adsorption). This product obtained from raw materials without commercial value, can be used for environmental remediation as an alternative to its expensive dumping into landfills.