Improvement of cadmium ion removal by base treatment of juniper fiber

Juniper is a small-diameter underutilized lignocellulosic material. We evaluated the efficacy of base-treated juniper fiber (BTJF) for cadmium (Cd2+) sorption and the viability of juniper fiber as a sorbent for removing Cd2+ from water. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that carboxylate ion is a major functional group responsible for Cd2+ sorption. The apparent ideal sodium hydroxide concentration for base treatment is approximately 0.5 M. A batch sorption isotherm test showed that equilibrium sorption data were better represented by the Langmuir model than the Freundlich model. After base treatment, the maximum Cd2+ sorption loading, Qmax, was greatly improved (9.18–29.54 mg/g), despite a decrease in specific surface area. A pseudo-second-order kinetic model fitted well for the sorption of Cd2+ onto BTJF. Initial metal ion concentration and treatment alkalinity were found to be major parameters influencing the kinetics of the sorption reaction. As a result of its strong ability to bind cadmium and its faster kinetics in low concentration, BTJF could be an inexpensive and efficient sorbent for removing heavy metals from stormwater runoff.