Copyright © 2012 by Modern Scientific Press Company, Florida, USA
International Journal of Environment and Bioenergy, 2013, 8(1): 41-55
International Journal of Environment and Bioenergy
Journal homepage: www.ModernScientificPress.com/Journals/IJEE.aspx
ISSN: 2165-8951
Florida, USA
Article
Seaweed Modeling for Drying and the Efficiency as Heavy Metal
Removal in Kappaphycus Striatum Variety Sacol using Solar
Dryer
Majid Khan Majahar Ali
1
, Sohail Rafiq
2
, Mahyar Sakari
2
, Jumat Sulaiman
1
, Suhaimi Md.
Yasir
3,
*
1
Mathematics with Economics Programme, School of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia
Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
2
Water Research Unit (WRU), School of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
3
Seaweed Research Unit (UPRL), Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ysuhaimi@ums.edu.my; Tel.:
+6088-320000 ext : 4228.
Article history: Received 9 August 2013, Received in revised form 1 November 2013, Accepted 12
November 2013, Published 18 November 2013.
Abstract: The solar drying experiment of seaweed using Green V-Roof Hybrid Solar Drier
(GVRHSD) was conducted in Semporna, Sabah under the metrological condition in
Malaysia. Drying of sample seaweed in GVRHSD reduced the moisture content from about
92.68% to 32.06% in 4 days at average solar radiation of about 600W/m
2
and mass flow
rate about 0.5 kg/s. The drying kinetics was fitted with six published exponential model
thin layer drying models. The models were fitted using the coefficient of determination
(R
2
), and root mean square error (RMSE). The result showed modified page was the best
model for describe the drying behavior. In addition, the dried seaweed was used to show
biosorptions of cadminium, lead, zinc and copper. Batch mode experiments were
performed to determine experimental parameters affecting sorption process such as pH,
initial metal ion concentration, shaking rate and biomass dosage. The Pb(II) showed