Biosorption of zinc (II) using Spirogyra species from electroplating effluent

Zinc was removed from the metal plating effluent with the biosorbent consisting of filamentous algae Spirogyra sp. The sorption was pH dependent with best adsorption at pH 2.5. The metal uptake increased from 3.9% (for no dilution) to 36.8% (for 10 times dilution), indicating that sorption increased with dilution of sample. The adsorption was faster at initial contact time, gradually decreased and remains constant after certain optimum time. Percentage removal of zinc increased from 20.3% to 63.6% with increase in the temperature from 25 degrees C to 35 degrees C but further increase resulted in the decrease in adsorption. Freundlich isotherm was applied and it holds good for the adsorption data.