David Dennis’s scientific contributions

This paper presents a biobsorption study on Zn and Pb(II) from dilute aqueous solution using tea fiber as the biosorbent. The biosorption study was carried out as a function of contact time, initial metal ion concentration and biosorbent dosage. The residual Zn and Pb(II) in solution were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The biosorption was also time dependent as maximum biosorption was obtained after 10 and 20 min, for both lead and zinc respectively. Kinetic studies show that the biosorption of both Zn and Pb(II) can be described by pseudo-second-order kinetics while that of Zn in addition, also fitted more to pseudo first order than that of Pb. For the metal ions, the biosorption efficiency increases with increase in initial metal ion concentration. These results indicate that tea fiber has a high potential for the uptake of Zn and Pb (II) from industrial effluents waste water and therefore, present yet another bright future in the treatment of industrial effluents containing these metals with a merit of the tea fiber been safe, readily available and cost effective.