p-ISSN: 0972-6268 Nature Environment and Pollution Technology (Print copies up to 2016) Vol. 20 No. 2 pp. 579-585 2021 An International Quarterly Scientific Journal e-ISSN: 2395-3454 Original Research Paper Originalhttps://doi.org/10.46488/NEPT.2021.v20i02.014 Research Paper Open Access Journal Biosorption of Cu(II) from Aqueous Solutions by a Macrofungus (Ganoderma lobatum) Biomass and its Biochar Silin Yang, Yan Wang and Yungen Liu† Faculty of Ecology and Environment, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China †Corresponding author: Yungen Liu; [email protected] ABSTRACT Nat. Env. & Poll. Tech. Website: www.neptjournal.com The sorption capacities of the macrofungus viz. Ganoderma lobatum (C0) and its biochar (C400) were evaluated for the biosorption of Cu(II) from aqueous solution under different conditions, including Received: 18-03-2020 adsorbent doses, pH of the solution, contact time and initial Cu(II) concentration. The results showed Revised: 25-04-2020 Accepted: 15-06-2020 that Ganoderma lobatum could be used as an efficient biosorbent for the removal of Cu(II) ions from an aqueous solution. The desired biosorbent dose in the case of C0 and C400 for Cu(II) adsorption Key Words: was 4 g/L, and the optimal pH value for biosorption was 8 for Cu(II). The Freundlich isotherm model Macrofungus fitted the absorption data of Cu(II) for both C0 and C400 better than the Langmuir isotherm model, and Biochar the adsorption capacity of C0 was better than C400. Our results indicate that C0 has a higher removal Sorption efficiency than C400 in adsorbing Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution. Biosorption kinetics were also Copper ion studied using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, which showed that the biosorption processes of Cu(II) ions based on C0 and C400 were in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetics. INTRODUCTION the case of microorganisms (Muraleedharan et al. 1994). The adsorption capacity of macrofungi clearly depends on the Water pollution by heavy metals at low concentrations is species (Nagy et al. 2014). To our knowledge, no reports in a worldwide environmental problem. Many methods have the literature have examined the biosorption of heavy metal been widely used to remove these toxic substances (Fomina using the macrofungus Ganoderma lobatum. It is a species & Gadd 2014). However, these methods have become of wood-decaying fungi in the family Ganodermataceae less effective because of low metal concentrations (Wang (order Polyporales), widely distributed in China, America & Chen 2009). Therefore, as an excellent alternative to and Mexico, growing alone or gregariously on decaying conventional techniques, biosorption has emerged as the logs and stumps of various hardwoods. The cap is flat and most promising process for treating pollutants in the aquatic up to 20 cm wide, and the flesh of the cap is dark brown to environment, especially the removal of low concentrations cinnamon-brown, woody. of heavy metals in the aqueous environment, because of its high efficiency, low cost, and non-hazardous nature (Javaid The aim of the present work was to investigate the bio- et al. 2011, Kapoor & Viraraghavan 1995). In recent years, sorption potential of the fruit body of Ganoderma lobatum macrofungi have attracted attention as biosorbents. Many and its biochar for the removal of Cu(II) from an aqueous studies have confirmed that copper ions in aqueous solutions solution. Optimum biosorption conditions were determined as a function of the biomass dose, pH, contact time, and are effectively adsorbed by the fruit bodies of macrofungi such as Pycnoporus sanguineus (Zulfadhly et al. 2001), initial metal concentration. The Langmuir and Freundlich Agaricus macrosporus (Melgar et al. 2007), Pleurotus models were employed to describe equilibrium isotherms. ostreatus (Javaid et al. 2011), Auricularia polytricha (Xinyu Biosorption mechanisms of Cu(II) onto Ganoderma lobatum et al. 2010), and Auricularia polytricha (Yu et al. 2010). and its biochar were also evaluated in terms of kinetics. Moreover, macrofungi grow prolifically and are found in many parts of the world (Vimala et al. 2011). They are MATERIALS AND METHODS visible in size, tough in texture, and have other physical Biosorbent Preparation characteristics that are conducive to their development as biosorbents without the need for immobilization or The macrofungus Ganoderma lobatum was collected from deployment of a sophisticated reactor configuration, as in Mojiang County, Yunnan Province, China. Fruit bodies were 580 Silin Yang et al. washed 3 times using distilled water, sun-dried for 3 days, studies were performed for different metal concentrations and then dried in an oven at 80°C for 48 h. The dried fruit (10-200 mg/L), pH (3-10), biosorbent doses (0.4-8 g/L), and bodies were ground and then filtered through a 2-mm nylon contact times (10-1440 min). The contents of the flask were sieve. The dried samples were placed in clean polyethene filtered, and the residual metal concentration in the filtrates sample bags, labelled C0 for future use, and a portion of the was determined by ICP-OES (VISFA-MPX). Each sample dried samples was pyrolyzed in an electrical muffle furnace was evaluated three times, and the results are presented as at 400 °C for 4 h under oxygen-limited conditions. After average values. cooling to room temperature, they were filtered through a ToTo evaluate evaluateTo theevaluate the adsorption adsorption the adsorption capacity capacity ofcapacity Cu of(II) Cu(II) ofonto Cu onto(II)C0 andonto C0 C400, C0 and the C400, amount the of amount Cu(II) of Cu(II) 2-mm nylon sieve and stored in clean polyethene sample and C400, the amount of Cu(II) adsorbed per unit mass of bags labelled C400 for future experiments. adsorbedC0 and adsorbedper C400 unit was mass per calculated unit of C0 mass and ofusing C400 C0 andthe was followingC400 calculated was calculatedequation: using the using following the following equation: equation: V (C C ) V (C C ) Reagents and Equipment 0 Ve(C0 Ce ) 0 V (t C0 Ct ) Qe Q , Qt , Q …(1) …(1 ) …(1) eM tM All chemicals used in this study were of analytical grade, M M Where Q (mg/g) is the amount of Cu(II) biosorbed onto and deionized water was used for all dilutions. A pH meter Where QeW (mg/g)here eQ ise (mg/g)the amount is the of amount Cu(II) ofbiosorbed Cu(II) biosorbed onto the biosorbentonto the biosorbent at equilibrium at equilibrium, C0 and C, Ce 0 and Ce (Leici, ZD-2) was used to measure pH values in the aque- the biosorbent at equilibrium, C0 and Ce respectively are the ous phase. Cu(II) concentrations in the aqueous phase were respectivelyinitial respectivelyand are equilibrium the initial are the concentrationand initial equilibrium and equilibrium (mg/L) concentration of Cu(II), concentration (mg/L V(L)) of ( mg/LCu(II),) of V Cu(L)(II), is the V(L) volume is the of volume of determined by ICP-OES (VISFA-MPX). Fourier Transform is the volume of the solution and M (g) is the biosorbent dose, the solutionthe andsolution M (g) and is theM (g)biosorbent is the biosorbent dose, Qt (mg/g)dose, Q ist (mg/g) the amount is the of amount Cu(II) of biosorbed Cu(II) biosorbed onto onto Infrared (FT-IR) spectra of C0 and C400 prepared as KBr Qt (mg/g) is the amount of Cu(II) biosorbed onto biosorbent −1 pellets were recorded in the 400-4000 cm region using a at time t (min), and Ctt (mg/L) is the concentration of Cu(II) biosorbentbiosorbent at time t (min),at time and t (min), Ctt ( mg/L)and Ct ist ( mg/L)the concentration is the concentration of Cu(II) of at Cu(II)time t (min)at time. t (min). Varian FT-IR 640 spectrometer. at time t (min). A stock Cu(II) solution of 1000 mg/L was prepared by (C0 Ce(C) 0 Ce ) Re Re 100% 100 % …(2) …(2) …(2) dissolving 3.8019 g Cu(NO3)2∙3H2O in 1000 mL of deionized C0 C0 water. The Cu(NO3)2∙3H2O used in this work was analytical grade and was supplied by Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Where Re is the ratio between Cu(II) biosorbed at equi- Where RWe hereis the R eratio is the between ratio betweenCu(II) biosorbedCu(II) biosorbed at equilibrium at equilibrium and the andinitial the Cu(II) initial Cu(II) Ltd. (China). Stock solutions were used to prepare diluted librium and the initial Cu(II) concentration (mg/L). solutions of different working concentrations. HCl (0.1 M) concentrationconcentration (mg/L). (mg/L). and NaOH (0.1 M) volumetric solutions were used to adjust RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the solution pH. RESULTSFT-IRRESULTS Analysis AND DISCUSSION AND DISCUSSION Batch Biosorption Experiments Functional groups, such as carbonyl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl The batch biosorption experiments for C0 and C400 were groups, have been identified as potential adsorption sites FT-IR AFTnalysis-IR Analysis carried out in 150-mL stoppered conical flasks containing 0.2 responsible for binding metallic ions to the adsorbent. g of the biosorbent in 50 mL of the Cu(II) solutions (10 mg/L) The FT-IR spectra of C0 and C400 in the range from 400- Functional−1 Functional groups, such groups, as carbonyl, such as carbonyl, carboxyl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl and hydroxyl groups, havegroups, been have identified been identified as as separatelyal. at 2002). room temperature on a rotary shaker at 100 4000 cm were determined and are presented in Fig. 1. For rpm. For optimization of the experimental conditions, batch the biomass material C0, the broad and strong absorption potential potentialadsorption adsorption sites responsible sites responsible for binding for metallic binding ionsmetallic to the ions adsorbent.