Removal of Mn (II) from aqueous solution via biosorption technology for a drinking water treatment plant: From laboratory-scale tests to semi-industrial scale predictions

Biosorbents have drawn increasing attention for removing pollutants on lab-scale systems. Although biosorbents are ecofriendly, their potential on large-scale columns has not been assessed yet. This study evaluated the potential of sugarcane bagasse (SB) for the removal of Mn (II) from aqueous media. Firstly, batch experiments were conducted to establish the equilibrium data and predominant adsorption mechanisms. Secondly, a mathematical model was proposed to predict the breakthrough curves in a fixed-bed column. Alternatively, lab- and pilot-scale removal experiments were performed to validate the accuracy of the proposed model. Once the model was validated on both scales, it was employed to predict breakthrough curves for a semi-industrial column under actual conditions of a drinking water treatment plant. Langmuir isotherm (q_max: 2.82 mg/g) and Langmuir kinetic model (R²>0.98 and x²<0.01) reproduced the experimental equilibrium and kinetic behavior. The mathematical model successfully replicated the lab- and pilot-scale breakthrough data (R²>0.95 and x²<0.1). Therefore, its prediction on the semi-industrial scale was reliable. However, short breakthrough and exhaustion times were obtained on this column, which hinders SB from applying in actual raw water. The described methodology can be employed to assess the potential of other biosorbents for industrial applications.