The adsorption of lead from polluted aqueous solutions was investigated using a biosorbent, without chlorophyll, obtained from Opuntia larreyi cactus in batch mode. The biomaterial was characterized using Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), before and after contact with lead; in addition, the interaction between oxygen atoms from functional groups of the biosorbent and lead ions was studied using X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). At pH 5.7 the major adsorption capacity was achieved, 8.26 mg/g with an efficiency of 90 %. The adsorption kinetics of lead was best described by the pseudo-second-order model and the adsorption capacity was adequately described by the Freundlich adsorption isotherm.

This research presents the conditions for the removal of lead from polluted water using a bioadsorbent obtained from the Trichocereus cuzcoensis cactus. The treatment of the contaminated solutions was carried out by the batch technique, using two types of adsorbents from the cactus (The Adsorbent with chlorophyll-ACC and the Adsorbent without chlorophyll-ASC). An adsorption capacity of 160.90 mg/g and 205.40 mg/g was achieved for the ACC and ASC respectively with a concentration of 0.1 g/L. The variation of the adsorption capacity as a function of the pH was studied, both adsorbents have a higher adsorption capacity at a pH 4. Lead kinetics was best described by the pseudo-second-order model and experimental data were adjusted for the Freundlich adsorption isotherm.

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