Continuous Biosorption of Lead (Pb) Using Immobilized Exopolymeric Substances in a Packed Bed Column

Rapid industrialization has led to the increase of metal processing and manufacturing, which generate wastewater containing heavy metal pollutants, including lead (Pb) metal. Conventional wastewater treatment techniques are often costly and generate toxic by-products. Therefore, biobased approaches are employed as an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative. In this study, natural biopolymers such as exopolymeric substances (EPS) produced by bacteria are immobilized in alginate beads to adsorb and remove Pb metal. This study investigates various process parameters of the adsorption process in a packed bed column to optimize the removal of heavy metals from wastewater in a continuous flow.