Batch and fixed-bed column techniques for removal of Cu(II) and Fe(III) using carbohydrate natural polymer modified complexing agents

Wood sawdust, a by-product of the world industry, is a low cost and promising industrial waste with cellulose–lignin polymeric structure. Its sorption properties after physical loading with Alizarin Red S (phase I) and Eriochrome Black T (phase II) for the removal of Fe(III) and Cu(II) under variable conditions of solution pH, contact times, weight of phase and concentration of the metal ion were investigated. Scanning electron microscope and Fourier transfer infrared spectra of phases before and after uptake of Fe(III) and Cu(II) were recorded to characterize the nature of the functional groups responsible for binding of these metal ions onto the studied modified polymers. Their equilibrium data were fitted with a Langmuir model. The adsorption kinetics data were best fitted with the pseudo-second-order. As a view to find a suitable application of phase I it was found that, Fe(III) in natural water samples were quantitatively recovered using column experiments.