VALORIZATION OF MARINE ALGAE WASTE BIOMASS LOADED WITH ESSENTIAL METAL IONS IN REMEDIATION OF ANTHROPICALLY DEGRADED SOILS

ABSTRACT

In practice, the utilization of biosorption in the wastewater treatment systems at large scale is relatively difficult, mainly because the biosorbents have a short duration of use, and their regeneration is not always easy to achieve. Under these conditions, it is necessary to find other valorization ways of biosorbent loaded with metal ions, and a possible solution is their use as supplements for the remediation of anthropically degraded soil. In this study was examined the possible use of marine algae biomass loaded with essential microelements (Cu(II), Zn(II) or Ni(II)) as supplements for remediation of anthropically degraded soil. The biosorptive performances of marine algae biomass was examined as a function of initial concentration of considered metal ions, while desorption of retained metal ions was done using two water samples with different salinity, in batch systems. The use of marine algae biomass loaded with considered microelements ions as supplements for degraded soil was tested on aric antrosol sample and the variation of metal ions content together with other quality parameters of soil, were analyzed before and after 8 weeks of treatment.

Keywords: essential metal ions, loaded biosorbent, algae biomass, desorption, degraded soils