Evaluación de la capacidad del composito Fe3O4-aserrin para la remoción de plomo de agua sintética.

Abstract

Worldwide, a large amount of sawdust is produced, the management of which has become a pertinent issue due to the pollution of the ecosystem, and the emission of fumes and harmful gases into the atmosphere when it is incinerated. This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of the iron oxide compound supported in sawdust for the adsorption of lead in aqueous solutions using column studies. A quantitative approach was implemented with a complete factorial design of 2x2x12 and 96 replications, analyzing three experimental variables: lead concentration (50 and 100 ppm), amount of adsorbent (2 and 4 grams), and contact time. An adsorption process was applied in fixed-bed columns, measuring the final concentration of the metal by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the composites had an irregular morphological structure with various sizes and shapes, and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the factors significantly influenced the percentage of lead removal. The optimal conditions for high adsorption efficiency were 4 grams of compound and a 50-ppm lead solution, achieving 99% removal. In conclusion, the iron oxide compound supported on sawdust is effective for the adsorption of lead in aqueous solutions, and the identified optimal conditions allow for high adsorption efficiency, generating more active sites for metal particles to adhere to the adsorbent material. This research suggests that using sawdust is a viable and environmentally friendly solution for metal removal, offering an alternative to sawdust handling and disposal.