ABSTRACT

P. N. SUDHA, T. GOMATHI, K. VIJAYALAKSHMI, and R. NITHYA

Department of Chemistry, D.K.M. College for Women, Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore, Tamilnadu, India, Tel: (+91) 98429 10157; E-mail: drparsu8@gmail.com

Abstract ................................................................................................. 366 12.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 366 12.2 Chitin and Chitosan as Adsorbents ............................................ 371 12.3 Other Natural Polymers as Promising Adsorbents ..................... 374 12.4 Factors Affecting Adsorption ..................................................... 375 12.5 Desorption .................................................................................. 385 12.6 Factors Affecting Desorption ..................................................... 386 12.7 Conclusion ................................................................................. 390 Acknowledgment .................................................................................. 390 Keywords .............................................................................................. 390 References ............................................................................................. 390

ABSTRACT

Water is the resource for sustenance of all the species in the earth. The potable water demand is ever increasing since there has been a continuous growth in world population. Continuous increase in the world population and development of industrial applications made environmental pollution problem more important. Removal of toxic metal contaminant from wastewater has been a cause of major concern. Much attention has recently been focused on various biosorbent materials such as fungal or bacterial biomass and biopolymers that can be obtained in large quantities and that are harmless to nature. Special attention has been given to polysaccharides such as chitin and chitosan, a natural amino polymer. Biosorption is an emerging technology, which uses natural materials as adsorbents for wastewater treatment. This chapter reviews the treatment of wastewater up to the present time using marine polysaccharides and its derivatives. Special attention is paid to advantages properties of the natural adsorbents, which is a wondering gift for the human survival.