Removal of Lead (II) ions from model milk solution using sour-orange peel: Bioadsorption on a fixed-bed column

In this study, removal of lead (II) from a solution with stable composition similar to milk was investigated using sour-orange peel as a harmless biosorbent. All experiments were conducted fixed-bed columns. Experiments were carried out as a function of liquid flow rate (10- 20 ml/min) and bed height (10 – 30 cm). The total adsorbed quantities, equilibrium uptakes and total removal percents of lead (II) related to the effluent volumes were determined by evaluating the breakthrough curves obtained at different flow rates, different bed height. The results show that the column performed well at lowest flow rate. Also, column bed capacity and exhaustion time increased with increasing bed height.