A study on a fixed-bed for Pb(ii) removal by modified alkaline lignin-sodium alginate composite hydrogel

Abstract

In this work, alkaline lignin (AL) co-modified with trimercapto-s-triazine trisodium salt (TMT) and sodium alginate (SA) as a matrix were used to create a composite hydrogel for removing heavy metals, specifically divalent lead (Pb) from water. The obtained hydrogel beads were packed into a fixed bed, and then various operating conditions were explored to assess their impact on the efficiency of Pb(II) removal. The findings indicated that the optimal removal efficiency for Pb(II) was attained using an inflow rate of 0.159 L min⁻¹, a hydrogel-II filling height of 40 cm, an initial Pb(II) concentration of 10 mg L⁻¹, and a bottom inflow direction. In the third adsorption–desorption cycle experiment, the breakthrough curve reached equilibrium after 650 min, in which equilibrium time for the initial breakthrough curve was 855 min, indicating that hydrogel-II exhibit good regeneration capability. This work serves as a foundation for practical applications in removing heavy metals from wastewater.