埋藏量이 풍부한 peat를 重金屬 吸着劑로서의 利用 可能性을 確認하기 위한 實驗을 행한 結果 다음과 같았다. Peat의 粒子가 적을수록 重金屬 吸着이 效果的이었으며 同一 濃度溶液에서 重金屬 吸着量은 Cu^(2+) > Cd^(2+) > Zn^(2+)順 이었다. Peat는 pH 4∼5사이에서 重金屬의 最大吸着이 일어났다. 重金屬 濃度가 增加할수록 重金屬의 吸着量의 增加되었으나 吸着率은 減少되었다. Peat에 의한 重金屬 이온흡착은 Freundlich 吸着等溫式에 잘 適用되므로 效果的인 吸着劑로 생각되며 peat에 PEI(polyethyleneimine)를 處理하면 重金屬의 吸着量이 增加하여 效果的이었다. 重金屬 吸着後 peat의 處理方法은 熱量이 풍부하여 燃料源으로 使用後 容量을 줄일 수 있어서 經濟的인 處理方法으로 생각된다.

Heavy metal adsorption on peat was studied to examine the utilization of abundant natural resouces as pollution control. The smaller the peat particle size, the more the heavy metals studied were adsorbed. Adsorption of heavy metals on peat was greater in single metal solutions than in mixed solutions, and the order of adsorption amount on peat was Cu > Cd > Zn. The most effective pH range of the adsorption of Cd, Zn, and Cu was between 4 and 6. With increasing the concentration of heavy metals the amount of adsorption on peat was increased, but the adsorption ratio was decreased. The adsorption of heavy metals on peat was fitted to the Freundlich isotherm and peat was appeared to be an effective adsorbent of the heavy metals. The treatment of polyethyleneimine(PEI) on the peat surface effectively increased adsorption capacity of the heavy metals. Because of its higher energy content, the heavy metal adsorbed peat could be utilized as a energy source. After burning the peat, the reduced peat volume could be save the expenses for waste disposal.