The aim of this study was to determine adsorption properties of cuttlebone, cuttlefish bone as dead
biomass, for lead(II) and copper(II) from aqueous solutions. Adsorption kinetic, isotherm and effect of
pH (in the range of 2.0–7.0) were investigated in a single component batch system at room
temperature (25±1 WC). The heavy metal adsorption by cuttlebone was relatively rapid and reached
to equilibrium in 120 min in all the cases. The pseudo-second order rate equation described the
adsorption kinetic of both the ions. The adsorption capacities of Pb2þ and Cu2þ were constantly
increased by pH and the optimum condition of pH was determined to be 7.0. The Freundlich model
was better fitted than other models with the isotherm data indicating sorption of the metal ions in a
heterogeneous surface. According to the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacities (qm)
of cuttlebone for Pb2þ and Cu2þ were determined to be 45.9 and 39.9 mg/g, respectively. The results
indicated cuttlebone as a promising adsorbent for Pb2þ and Cu2þ that presents a high capacity of
self-purification in marine environments as well as can be used for removal of the metal ions from
water and wastewater
