Breakthrough curves modelling of liquid-phase biosorption of Cu++ on Helianthus Annuus particles

Abstract

A continuous fixed bed study was carried out by using shells of Helianthus Annuus as a biosorbent in the uptake of Cu++. The effect of
operating parameters such as inlet Cu++ concentration, flow rate, pH and par-ticle size on Cu++ uptake was investigated. Adam’s-Bohart,
Thomas, Clark and Yoon-Nelson models were applied to experimental data to predict the most suitable breakthrough curves in a fixed bed
column. In this study, average percent error (APE) analysis and correlation coefficient (R2) were used to define the most suitable model for
the tracing of breakthrough curve at different experimental conditions. The Fixed bed column model studies indicated that Thomas model (R20.97)
and APE (%) (6.4) was suitable to de-scribe the adsorption equilibrium of Cu++.