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Lead biosorption from industrial wastewater using Cladophora
Alaa M Metwally1, Samia A A Aly2, Sarah O Makled3
1Sanitary Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Scientific Reports
|December 11, 2025
Summary
Green alga Cladophora glomerata (CGM), silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles, and a hybrid composite show high efficiency for lead ion removal from wastewater. These biosorbents offer a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for water treatment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Lead ion contamination in wastewater poses significant environmental and health risks.
- Conventional heavy metal removal methods are often expensive and inefficient at low concentrations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biosorption potential of Cladophora glomerata (CGM), silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles, and a CGM-SiO2 hybrid composite for lead removal.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of these adsorbents under various operating conditions.
Main Methods:
- Adsorbent characterization using SEM and FTIR.
- Batch biosorption experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH, adsorbent dose, and other parameters.
- Kinetic studies were performed to determine the adsorption mechanism.
Main Results:
- CGM achieved 100% lead removal at pH 5.0 with 1.3 g/L dose.
- SiO2 nanoparticles achieved 100% removal at 0.5 g/L dose.
- The hybrid composite showed 97.79% efficiency at 0.7 g/L, and biosorption followed the pseudo-second-order model.
Conclusions:
- Algae-based, nanoparticle-based, and hybrid biosorbents are effective for lead removal.
- These materials present a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for wastewater treatment.
