**3.5 Application of the materials in real samples from environmental mariana disaster region**

The **Figure 7** shows the concentration of metals (a) Cu (II) and (b) Pb (II) before and after adsorption by using banana and rice biomasses at two points collected in the city of Governador Valadares - MG in the years of 2016, 2017 and 2018. For copper, the concentration at point 2 is higher when compared to point 1 in the

#### **Figure 7.**

*(a) Adsorption of Cu (II) onto banana and rice biomass in samples collected from two points of a river in the region of Governador Valadares, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, (b) adsorption of Pb (II) onto banana and rice biomass in samples collected from two points of a river in the region of Governador Valadares, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, (B.A- before adsorption; a.A- after adsorption; 2016/1- sample collected in 2016 at point 1; 2016/2- sample collected in 2016 at point 2; 2017/1- sample collected in 2017 at point 1; 2017/2- sample collected in 2017 at point 2; 2018/1- sample collected in 2018 at point 1; 2018/2- sample collected in 2018 at point 2).*

*Removal of Copper and Lead from Water in the Mariana Mining Disaster Using Biomass… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99668*

same year, 2016: p1 (10.75 μg.L−1) and p2 (28.29 μg.L−1), 2017: p1 (10.63 μg.L−1) and p2 (11.98 μg.L−1), 2018: p1 (10.75 μg.L−1) and p2 (11.13 μg.L−1). For lead, with the exception of the year 2016, p1 (1.58 μg.L−1) and p2 (2.82 μg.L−1), the same trial was observed, 2017: p1 (1.62 μg.L−1) and p2 (1.27 μg.L−1), 2018: p1 (1.72 μg.L−1) and p2 (1.6911 μg.L−1).

Point 2, in all years, presented higher concentrations when compared to point 1, for both Cu (II) (28.29 μg.L−1) and Pb (II) (2.82 μg.L−1). According to the US EPA, the maximum limits for copper and lead are 1300.00 μg L−1 and 15.00 μg.L−1, respectively. In spite of this, the concentrations of the studied metals reached very close to zero after the treatment with banana and rice biomasses.

Seen this, the studied material shown efficiency in removal of copper and lead in contaminated water even in real samples with several parameters outside the ideal that cannot be controlled and altered. With this, these biomaterials have application in real situations of contamination by metals with high removal rate and low cost [37].
