Effect of Different Chemical and Physical Characteristic Having Lignocellulosic Fibers on Heavy Metal Ion Removal from Auqueous Solution

In this study lignocellulosic fibers, such as kenaf bast, kenaf core, sugar cane bagasse, cotton, coconut coir, and spruce, which are environment friendly natural materials, were tested for their ability to remove copper, nickel and zinc ions from aqueous solutions. The fibers were analyzed for Klason lignin content, water sorption capacity and dry volume. The fiber with the highest level of heavy metal removal in the separate and mixed solution was kenaf bast.. In the mixed solution kenaf bast, sugar cane bagasse and cotton removed more copper and nickel ion than in the separate solution, and the amounts of removed heavy metal ions were changed in some lignocellulosic fibers, compared to those of the separate solution. In the mixed solution heavy metal ions may compete with one another for sorption sites on the surface of lignocellusic fiber. In kenaf bast to remove heavy metal ions most, Klason lignin content was the second lowest, and water sorption and dry volume were the lowest in all tested lignocellulosic fibers. It showed that removal of heavy metal ions does not correlate with any chemical and physical factors, but may be affected by the cell wall structure of lignocellulosic fibers and how many free phenolic groups in lignin, which are considered as the heavy metal ion binding site, are exposed on the surface of fibers. Cotton, with about 1% Klason lignin, was very low in heavy metal ion removal, while all other fibers containing greater than about 10% lignin did remove heavy metal ions. It showed that even the lignin content of lignocellulosic fibers does not correlate with heavy metal ion removal but lignin does play a role in heavy metal ion removal.