Optimum pH – 9, sorption percentage – 92-94%,

The pH of the solution was an essential factor influencing the biosorption processes. Removal efficiency
was observed to be different in varying pH levels indicating that protonation/deprotonation activity of
H+ and OH- against the adsorbent’s functional groups affects the overall surface property as well as the
ionization/dissociation of the dye molecule(Chowdhury et. al, 2012). Based on the results, the optimum
pH was found at pH 8-9 with a sorption percentage of 92-94% favoring alkaline environment. On the
contrary, as the pH decreases or becoming acidic, percentage removal of the dye decreases which is
possibly attributed to the increased protonation activity, resulting for a strong electrostatic repulsion
between the positive charged adsorbent and dye cations (Chakraborty et al. 2011; Saha et al. 2010). The
high removal rate and uptake capacity at higher pH can be explained by high number of negatively
charged sites or OH- ions which have the ability to bind with the dye promoting deprotonation of
functional groups thus, making the surface positively charged. In addition, the chemical phosphate,
carboxyl, amine and amides which are hydrophilic functional groups speeds up the process. An adverse
electrostatic interaction is due to the adsorbent’s nature of being positively charged, reacting with
cationic CV molecules through non-electrostatic mechanisms like van der Waals, H-bonding, and
hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions can occur [27]. A sharp reduction of CV uptake was observed
from pH 5 to pH 3. The gradual reduction in the dye uptake with decreasing pH suggests that the
electrostatic repulsion between the CV+ ions and massive number of H+ ions in the fish scale surface is
involved in the process(2).

27. Cardoso NF, Lima EC, Pinto IS, Amavisca CV, Royer B, Pinto RB, et al. Application of cupuassu shell as
biosorbent for the removal of textile dyes from aqueous solution. Journal of Environmental
Management. 2011;92(4):1237-47.

2. Removal of Brilliant Red from Aqueous Solutions by Adsorption on Fish Scales

The positively charged amine groups (–NH3 + ) of fish scales are mainly responsible for adsorption of BR
onto fish scales surface as BR is negatively charged in aqueous solution. These negatively charged dye
anions exhibit electrostatic attraction toward the positively charged amine groups of fish scales. This is
the reason for the maximum adsorption occurred at acidic pH. A sharp reduction in dye uptake is
observed from pH 3.0 to pH 4.0. After that the gradual reduction in the BR uptake with increasing pH is
observed upto pH 9.0. A sharp reduction of BR uptake is observed again from pH 9.0 to pH 10.0. The
gradual reduction in the dye BR uptake with increasing pH suggests that the electrostatic repulsion
between the sulfonate groups (dye–SO3 − ) of the BR and carboxyl (–COOˉ) and phosphate (PO4 3 ˉ)
groups of the fish scale surface is involved in the process. This electrostatic repulsion gradually increased
with increase of surface negativity. At pH 10.0, surface of absorbent is highly negative and interaction
between negative surface of adsorbent and negatively charged adsorbate is the minimum.

Therefore, in the present investigation, the effect of pH on the removal efficiency heavy metal by fish
scales was studied at different pH (2.0 to 8.0). As expected, pH significantly affects the extent of bio

pH is an important monitoring parameter influencing the surface properties of the biosorbent as well as
the ionization/dissociation of the dye molecule, thereby affecting the biosorption process.
EXCEPTIONAL

the influence of initial pH of MB solution on the removal of MB. Fig. 8b shows that the MB removal
percent rises with pH increasing. As the solution pH increases from 3.3 to 10.9, the removal percent
improves from 75.34 to 98.96%. Accordingly, the solution’s pH can be set to any value between 7.2 and
10.9. Even though the adsorption of MB increases with increasing the MB solution’s initial pH, all
experiments were conducted at pH of 8 because the MB solution’s initial pH is about 5, and it is
desirable to work as close as possible to neutral pH (acceptable pH limits (6.5-8.5) for releasing to the
environment based on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)) as well as having an acceptable dye
removal percent.

Generally, the functional groups of the adsorbent are affected by the solution’s pH, and hence, it
influences the adsorption process [23]. With considering the identified functional groups of MFS (amide,
hydroxyapatite and carbonated apatite), the adsorption of MB onto MFS can take place through
electrostatic interactions (between amide groups and MB dye functional groups) and H-bonding at
pH=8. Based on pHpzc analysis at pHinitial>pHpzc (pHpzc=7.2), a slow rise in the MFS surface’s negative
charge density develops via increasing the pH of the solution.

Therefore, in conditions of alkaline (pHinitial>7), an intensive electrostatic effect will occur between the
MFS adsorbent and MB dye; however, at the initial pH be described from progress via the electrostatic
attraction among negatively charged groups (≡OPO3 H- and FeO- ) of the MFS surface and positively
charged groups (S+) of the MB. The findings signify that the electrostatic interactions (COO/S+, N-H/S+,
apatite/S+,FeO- /S+) mainly account for the adsorption of MB dye onto MFS. A schematic of MB dye
adsorption onto MFS is depicted in Fig. 8c.

http://www.jwent.net/article_32099_07cbb85b7fa6170067676f3cad9a19d4.pdf

1. Fish (Labeo rohita) Scales as Potential Low-Cost Biosorbent for Removal of Malachite Green
from Aqueous Solutions
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