Aqueous Phase Adsorption of Pb (II) Ions onto Hymenoptera sphecidae (Mud-wasp) Nest

Abstract

Removal of Pb (II) ion from aqueous solution using Hymenoptera sphecidae (mud-wasp) nest was investigated using a batch process. The effect of pH, contact time and adsorbent dose were also investigated. The result showed that the adsorption of Pb (II) ion onto mud-wasp nest was dependent on pH, contact time and adsorbent dose. Adsorption patterns were analysed in terms of three bi-parameter isotherms of Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin. Freundlich isotherm gave the best fit to the adsorption data with a correlation coefficient of 0.992, while monolayer sorption capacity yielded 41.667 mg/g. Lagergren’s pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order kinetic models were used to test the adsorption kinetics. The kinetic data were well described by the pseudo second-order kinetic model, suggesting that the process was chemisorption type.  The results showed that mud-wasp nest can be used as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Pb (II) ion from aqueous solutions.