Abstract

It is the application of simulated data obtained from experimental results that can be used for further scale up of continuous fixed bed system for biosorption of heavy metals from wastewater not batch system that will make use of bioreactor more attractive to the industries. Modeling and simulation of microbial biosorption of cadmium and lead ions from synthesis wastewater in a continuous fixed bed system were achieved using plexiglass tube with height 30.0 cm and column internal diameter 1.0 cm . The simulated and validation results show that sum of the squares of error values of 4.6 X 〖10〗^(-8), 8.84 X 〖10〗^(-7) , 1.365 X 〖10〗^(-2) and 8.4 95 X 〖10〗^(-5) for Adams-Bohart model indicating lowest fitness to 2.6 X 〖10〗^(-8), 8.6 X 〖10〗^(-7), 9.9 X 〖10〗^(-3) and 7.6 X 〖10〗^(-5) recorded for Thomas model and Yoon-Nelson model for all biosorbates biosorption carried out. Cadmium ions biosorption onto Saccharomyces cerevisiae gives the best acceptable data with values of coefficient of determination ranged from 0.9688-0.9689 and sum of the squares of error which ranged from (2.6 -4.6) X 〖10〗^(-8) for the three models validated. Moreover, lowest acceptable data were observed with lead ions biosorption onto Saccharomyces cerevisiae at values of coefficient of determination ranged from 0.4204-0.4427 and sum of the squares of error gives the range from 9.9 X 〖10〗^(-3)- 1.365 X 〖10〗^(-2) for the three models validated.. The three models are suitable in designing a fixed bed system for biosorption of cadmium and lead ions onto immobilised nonliving Bacillus circulans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae biosorbents