Phycocolloid and soil-based trials to remove some heavy metals

Sodium alginates were extracted from different types of brown macro algae; Cystoseira spinosa, Turbinaria murryana, and Sargassum sp. The biomass of the brown macro algae was collected in mid-fall from the sea shores of Aqaba gulf, Red sea, Egypt. The alginate % of dry algal biomass was estimated. The structural properties of the different isolated alginates were determined using FTIR, UV, Viscosity measurements, Size measurements, Swelling profiles and SEM. The alginates were then used in combination with different proportions of calcareous soil to develop a new series of hydrogel composites particles at different mass ratios alginate: soil (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3). The prepared composites were investigated as sorbents for efficient uptake of Fe+3, Mn+2 and As+5 from standard synthetic solutions at different concentration (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0 and 16.0 mgl-1). Then we used these composites as sorbents for efficient uptake of Fe+3 and Mn+2 from natural groundwater and Fe+3, Mn+2 , Cd+2, Pb+2, Cu+2 and Ni+2 from industrial wastewater. The results were impressive showing that the alginate and composites from alginate and soil was able to adsorbed heavy metals.