Kinetic and equilibrium assays, using as cation exchanger the
brown macro-algae P. canaliculata, L. hyperborea, A. nodosum and
F. spiralis, were carried out for the petrochemical wastewater containing
Zn, Ni and Cu species. Kinetic experiments were carried out
in 100 mL capped Erlenmeyer flasks containing 50 mL of effluent
and an algae dose of 1.5 g/L. The Erlenmeyer flasks were placed
inside a thermostatic cabinet, in order to ensure a constant temperature
(25 C) under constant orbital shaking (180 rpm) (VWR
Advanced digital system). The samples were collected (each Erlenmeyer
flask corresponds to one sample) at predetermined time
intervals until 24 h, filtered through cellulose acetate membrane
filters, diluted if necessary, acidified and the metal ions concentrations
were quantified by AAS.