Binding of heavy metal ions by formaldehyde‐polymerized peanut skins

Peanut skin, when treated with formaldehyde to polymerize tannins, is a highly efficient substrate for removal of many heavy metal ions from aqueous waste solutions. The ions Ag1+, Cd2+, Cr6+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, as well as Ca2+ and Mg2+, were contacted with formaldehyde‐treated peanut skin. Quantitative removal could be achieved with Ag1+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+. Capacity of the substrate for ions was promising for Pb2+ (2.1 meq/g substrate), Cu2+ (3.0 meq/g), and Cd2+ (1.3 meq/g). Sorption from a solution containing Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, on a packed column of formaldehyde‐treated peanut skin indicated that Hg2+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ were rapidly and completely bound to the packing, while Cd2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ were poorly bound until the preferred ions had been removed from solution.