Adsorbent activity of pectin and activated charcoal from pineapple peel waste as biosorbent against heavy metals and dyes

Abstract

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr) is widely used in the agricultural and food industries. Most times, when pineapple is consumed, the pineapple peel waste is not been utilized properly and efficiently. Pectin and activated charcoal are valuable and useful products that can be obtained from processing pineapple peel. Pectin and activated charcoal have potential to solve the problem of heavy metal contamination and dye contamination in water. The aims of this study were to utilize pectin and activated charcoal from pineapple peels as an adsorbent for heavy metals (lead and cadmium) and dyes (congo red and malachite green) in water. Pectin and activated charcoal were extracted from pineapple peel waste, analyzed by infrared spectrophotometry, evaluated for adsorption activity against heavy metals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and against dyes by ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry. Pectin and activated charcoal have been successfully extracted from pineapple peel waste and have similar characteristics to commercially marketed pectin and activated charcoal. The removal percentage of pectin for heavy metals and dyes ranged from 64.8% to 72.4% and the removal percentage of activated charcoal for heavy metals and dyes ranged from 57.2% to 61.4%. Pectin and activated charcoal from pineapple peel waste have been successfully extracted and applied as adsorbents against heavy metals and dyes.