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ABSTRACT
Very important in adsorption processes is the preparation of material sorbents and from this reason, the impact of washing agent of raw sorbent was analysed. The adsorption capacity was studied in relation to the function of the equilibrium time, the amount of biosorbent and the initial metal(II) ions concentration. In this research for the sake of comparison, the sorptive properties of out-of-date coffee were compared to coffee washed with different agents (mineral acids and water). The scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterise the biosorbents and to identify the functional groups that participated in metal(II) ions bonding. The obtained results clearly indicate that the out-of-date coffee are effective biosorbent for cadmium(II) and nickel(II) ions from aqueous solution. However, for metal(II) ions removal efficiency could influence sorbent preparation and nickel(II) ions were best adsorbed on coffee washed with water, but cadmium(II) ions on raw biosorbent (out-of-date coffee). The best results of sorption were achieved after the contact time of 30 and 60 min, respectively for cadmium(II) and nickel(II) ions.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Dr Anna Parus is an employee at Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan university of Technology. Her research work is focused on the process of cleaning soil and water solutions from organic and heavy metals. Anna Parus is also involved in the synthesis organic compounds with amphiphilic structure and use them as factors stabilising metals in the soil matrix, thus preventing the spread of metals in the soil profile. In addition, she conducts research determining the impact of compounds on the natural environment by analysing changes in soil biological activity and assessing the inhibition of germination and plant growth, as well as changes in plant physiology.
Dr Bożena Karbowska is an employee at Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznan University of Technology. Her research work is focused on the evaluation of speciation of heavy metals, environment contamination and cleaning processes.
Daria Rosińska is a postgraduate of the Faculty of Chemical Technology of the Poznan University of Technology. Her scientific work, to date, has focused on the use of waste materials as potential sorbents and their use in the purification of aqueous solutions.