Artículo: Biosorption of Chromium (VI) by Cucumis Melo Shell

Abstract

Cr (VI) is a toxic metal which belongs to the list of priority pollutants due to its mutagenic and carcinogenic properties, defined by the US EPA. Contamination with Cr (VI) comes from electroplating, leather tanning, textile dyeing and metal finishing industries. Recently, a variety of low cost materials has been studied for their ability to remove this metal from aqueous solution with promising results. We studied the Cr (VI) removal capacity in aqueous solution by the biomass of Cucumis melo shell, using the diphenylcarbazide method to evaluate the metal concentration in solution and obtaining the highest biosorption of the metal (50 mg/L) in 180 min, at pH of 1.0, and 28°C. The highest removal (100%), was observe at 60°C, at 40 min. At the analyzed concentrations of Cr (VI), biomass showed good removal capacity of 1.0 g/L of the metal (100%), 75 min at 60oC. If we increase the biosorbent concentration, increase the metal removal, with 100% at 25 min with 5 g of Cucumis melo biomass.