Cellulose-metallothionein biosorbent for removal of Pb(II) and Zn(II) from polluted water

Intake of toxic trace elements in drinking water can lead to adverse health effects. To remove toxic trace elements from water, we developed a novel biosorbent composed of cellulose and a fusion protein. The fusion protein was constructed from metallothionein (MT) and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM), where CBM can bind to cellulose while MT can capture heavy metal ions in solution. In a batch experiment, the biosorbent had maximum biosorption capacities for Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions of 39.02 mg/g and 29.28 mg/g, respectively. Furthermore, the biosorbent could be used in a semi-continuous system and showed good regeneration and recyclability. Both cellulose and the MT-CBM are environmentally friendly and renewable materials, and this biosorbent has great potential for efficient removal of toxic trace elements from polluted water. [Display omitted] •Metallothionein/cellulose biosorbent was designed for heavy metal removal.•The biosorbents was found to be very efficient in removal of heavy metals.•The biosorbent showed regeneration and recyclability for seven times.•Effective metal ion removal was achieved when applied in real mine wastewater.