Surface transport kinetic models for Pb2+ sorption using unmodified and mercaptoacetic acid modified agricultural-by products

The kinetics of Pb2+ sorption from aqueous solutions using mercaptoacetic acid modified and unmodified oil palm fruit fibre was investigated. Sorption capacity, qt increased following the trend; 1.0MOPF> 0.5 MOPF> UOPF and maximum sorption was attained in 120 minutes. Kinetic modeling of the sorption data using the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, mass transfer and intraparticle diffusivity models was carried out. The pseudo-second order equation was the best fitting model with r2 ≅ 0.99. Thereby indicating that sorption of Pb2+ on the adsorbents followed a pseudo-second order mechanism. © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2007.