Abstract
In the mineral beneficiation the use of aqueous solution such as mineral acids (HCl,
H2SO4 and HNO3) is important particularly for the recovery of base metals (Ni, Cu, Co etc.), and
the recovery of heavy metals from water samples from coal, clay and other mineral processing.
The environmental monitoring of heavy and base metals pollution due to small scale mineral
beneficiation is critical and of equal importance in the identification of cost effective measures
for the recovery this metals. Small scale mineral beneficiation is increasing in South Africa with
severe consequences such as non- adherence to the documented mining protocols with regard to the
mining process. In the same breath treatment of base and heavy metals contamination from the
environment has become an expensive and complex process.
The study investigate possible use of a synthetic grapefruit resin as an inexpensive alternative
for bio sorption of heavy and base metals from small scale mineral beneficiation. Bio sorption
process is observed as a cost-effective, high efficient and simple technique for water treatment as
compared to conventional methods (Volesky, 1998). Due to high content of pectin grapefruit was
cross-linked and used as a bio sorbent for the following selected metals: Pb, Co, Ni, Cu and Mn.
The characterization of the modified grapefruit resin included: particle size distribution, FTIR,
cationic exchange capacity and BET. Factors that affected bio sorption were investigated and
optimized.
The FTIR spectra of the grapefruit resin revealed that the active functional groups on the
grapefruit resin are –COOH and OH. It was observed the uptake of Pb and Co were 0.01675 and 0.01782
mg/g respectively this values then drop to 0.01210 and 0.01317 mg/g when the
-COOH and OH functional groups are chemically blocked. The best pH for metal...
M.Tech.