The status of scientific development on the application of biosorption of heavy metals at laboratory and pilot-scale: a review

Biosorption continues to grasp the attention of researchers worldwide for its potential to remediate and recover a wide spectrum of contaminants from the environment. In spite of 120 y since its first reported study, the commercialisation of biosorption technology has been somewhat slow, although we have made great strides in understanding this complex phenomenon. Many forms of life are fatally affected by heavy metal ions, mainly due to their non-biodegradability, and thus, their concentrations rise up the food chain. The presence of these contaminants in waste streams continues to present a costly remediation challenge, particularly for small and medium-sized industries. The aim of this study is to present the status of scientific development in biosorption of heavy metals. The review offers a brief history of biosorption developments, types of reported biosorbents, fundamental parameters affecting biosorption, biosorption modelling, desorption and mechanisms. In addition, the process of scaling-up from laboratory to pilot scale is considered as well as the main factors which continue to affect the evolution of biosorption as a useful method for heavy metals removal. Finally, we provided a summary of the key points of recent biosorption research as well as recommendations for its future lines of inquiry.