The Use of a Mathematical Model for the Study of the Important Parameters in Immobilized Biomass Biosorption

It has been shown that the immobilized, inactive mycelia of Rhizopus arrhizus are preferential to native biomass for use in the biosorption of metal ions. A kinetic mass transfer model for the description of the biosorption of metal ions by immobilized biomass from aqueous solution in a batch reactor, has been developed. The present work examines in detail the ability of this kinetic model to describe well the response of the biosorption system to changes caused by variations in the experimental conditions and the properties of the immobilized biomass as well as the parametric sensitivity of the model to process related parameters. It was shown that the immobilized biomass particle size, the initial solute concentration, the maximum immobilized biomass uptake capacity and mass transport coefficients are significant parameters that affect the model results.