Plastics and plastic-bound toxic metals in municipal solid waste compost from Sri Lanka.

This study examined plastics and toxic metals in municipal solid waste compost from various regions in Sri Lanka. Plastics were extracted using density separation, digested using wet peroxidation, and identified using Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflection mode. Compost and plastics were acid-digested to quantify total Cd, Cu, Co, Cr, Pb, and Zn concentrations and analyzed for the bioavailable fraction using 0.

Biosorption of heavy metals: Transferability between batch and column studies.

The design of an industrial water treatment system using sorption is based on laboratory column tests. To verify the applicability of a column sorption system at industrial scale, it is necessary to determine the system's breakthrough time (BT) in a laboratory setting. In a laboratory column set-up, BT is referred to as the time taken by the adsorbate to appear at column outlet for the first time.

Mathematical modelling of the influence of physico-chemical properties on heavy metal adsorption by biosorbents.

Adsorption rate is a critical parameter in the design of effective biosorbent treatment systems for heavy metals removal. Though numerous studies have identified the physico-chemical properties of biosorbents that exert influence on the adsorption rate, such influence has not been mathematically defined, limiting the effective design of adsorption systems. This study quantifies the influence of biosorbent physico-chemical properties including, specific surface area, surface functional groups, pore size, pore volume and zeta potential on the adsorption rate in relation to three divalent metal cations.

Quantifying the influence of surface physico-chemical properties of biosorbents on heavy metal adsorption.

Heavy metals present in industrial wastewater contribute to human and ecosystem health risk when discharged without proper treatment. Low-cost biosorbents with high metal-binding capacity are increasingly being utilized for the removal of heavy metals. Inherent physico-chemical properties of biosorbents significantly influence their adsorption capacity.