Role of Superficial Functional Groups in Determining Phosphate Biosorption Efficiency on Marine Green Algae

In this study, three types of marine green algae biomass (Ulva lactuca, Ulva intestinalis and Cladophora vagabunda) were used for the biosorption of phosphate from aqueous solution. These marine green algae are abundant in the Black Sea, and can represent a cheap and easy-to-obtain source of renewable biomass. The efficiency of these three types of algae biomass was tested at different initial concentration of phosphate (24 – 95 mg·L^-1), and the biosorption capacity, increases in the order: Ulva intestinalis > Ulva Lactuca > Cladophora vagabunda. This variation is mainly determined by the number and types of the functional groups on the surface of the algae biomass (analyzed using the Boehm method), and can be considered an important criterion in selecting algae biomass for phosphate biosorption. In addition to the biosorption capacity of algae biomass for phosphate, the pH, electrical conductibility and turbidity of the solutions obtained after filtration were also measured. All these parameters play an important role in selecting the appropriate type of algae biomass for phosphate removal from aqueous media.