Heavy Metal Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Biomaterials and/or Functional Composites: Recent Advances and the Way Forward in Wastewater Treatment Using Digitalization

Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan*, Wai Hung Lo, Xue Liang, Hui Hwang Goh, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman, Kok Keong Chong, Ayesha Mohyuddin, Axel Olaf Kern, Kit Wayne Chew

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

59 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Due to its low cost, over the past decades, biosorption technology has been extensively carried out to treat heavy metal-laden wastewater using biosorbents. Recent studies on heavy metal biosorption mechanisms and the simulation of mathematical modeling on the biosorption process have enhanced scientific understanding about the binding between target metal cations and the functional group on different surfaces of biomasses as a biosorbent. However, so far, none have provided an overview of mechanistic studies on heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions using inexpensive biosorbents. To close this knowledge gap, this article discusses the applicability of the surface complexation (SC) model for biosorption of a target pollutant. Insightful ideas and directions of future research in wastewater treatment using digital technologies are also presented. It was conclusive from a literature survey of 115 articles (1987–2023) that Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Rhizopus nigricans represent biomaterials that have substantial adsorption capacities, up to 200 mg of Au(I)/g, 142 mg of Th/g, and 166 mg of Pb(II)/g, respectively. The metal-binding mechanisms involved include ion exchange, surface complexation, and micro-precipitation. Ion exchange is the only mechanisms that play key roles in sequestering heavy metal using fungal cells with chitin and chitosan. X-ray energy dispersion (XED) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were used to evaluate biosorption mechanisms of the inorganic pollutants using physico-chemical characterization on the cell surfaces of the biomass. As metal removal by the biosorbent is affected by its surface properties, surface complexation also occurs. The affinity of the surface complexation depends on the type of functional groups such as phosphate, carboxyl, and amine.

Original languageEnglish
Article number84
JournalJournal of Composites Science
Volume7
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Ceramics and Composites
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)

Keywords

  • adsorption
  • ion exchange
  • micro-precipitation
  • surface complexation
  • water pollution

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