Adsorption performance and stability of the modified straws and their extracts of cellulose,lignin, and hemicellulose for Pb2+: pH effect

Adsorption performance and stability of the carboxyl groups modified straws and their extracts of cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose for Pb²⁺ were investigated, and the optimum pH range for Pb²⁺ adsorption was determined by considering both the stability and capacity of the modified biosorbents for the first time. Results showed that adsorption capacity and stability of the straws and extracts were both improved significantly after modification. Adsorption capacities of the modified straws and extracts followed the order: modified hemicellulose > modified lignin, modified straw > modified cellulose, while stability of them followed the reverse order. In the optimum pH range from 4.0 to 5.0, modified rape and cotton straw showed better stability than the modified maize straw, and total organic carbon (TOC) values determined from the two modified straws and extracts were lower than 5.0 mg L⁻¹ even after adsorption for 30 days, which reached the drinking water standard in China.