Lead bioadsorption in groundwater using keratinous feather meal from Gallus gallus domesticus
Description
Introduction. Lead contamination in groundwater creates exposure risks for rural water supply systems when concentrations exceed the 0.010 mg L⁻¹ reference value. Objetives. This study evaluated and optimised lead bioadsorption in real groundwater using keratinous feather meal from Gallus gallus domesticus. Materials and Methods. The bioadsorbent was washed, dried at 65 °C, milled and sieved through No. 50 mesh. Proximate composition and FTIR-ATR bands were determined. Batch assays followed a 4 x 3 factorial design with doses of 1, 3, 6 and 10 g L⁻¹ and contact times of 30, 60 and 90 min, in duplicate. Results. The initial lead concentration was 0.036 ± 0.001 mg L⁻¹. The meal contained 71.23 g 100 g⁻¹ protein and showed N-H/O-H, C=O, N-H and C-O bands. Removal reached 83.33% at 10 g L⁻¹ and 90 min, with 0.00600 mg L⁻¹ final lead. The 6 g L⁻¹ and 90 min condition reached 0.00612 mg L⁻¹. Factorial analysis confirmed significant dose, time and interaction effects. Conclusions. Response surface optimisation identified 8.255 g L⁻¹ and 90 min as the optimal condition, supporting feather meal as a low-processing bioadsorbent for lead reduction in groundwater.