Trichoderma harzianum: a green sorbent for Pb(II) uptake from aqueous solutions

Abstract

This investigation describes the use of specially cultivated, nonliving biomass of Trichoderma harzianum as a biosorbent for the batch removal of Pb(II) from a stirred system under different experimental conditions. The metal removal depended upon pH, sorbent particle size, initial Pb(II) concentration, shaking speed, and sorption time. The optimal experimental conditions for the removal of Pb(II) by T. harzianum with an initial metal concentration of 100 mg L⁻¹ were obtained at a particle size of 53 μm, a pH of 4.5, a shaking speed of 200 rpm, and a contact time of 720 min. The results were analyzed in terms of adsorption isotherms and kinetic models. The Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo second-order model fitted well in the data. T. harzianum proved to be a good biomaterial for accumulating Pb(II) from aqueous solutions (q = 460 mg g⁻¹).

Keywords:

• Trichoderma harzianum
• Pb(II)
• kinetics
• water treatment
• toxic

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Chairman, Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan; Chairman, Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan; and Director, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan, for useful discussions and supporting this work.