Extraction and modification of cellulose from Artocarpus heterophyllus for biosorption of lead ion from aqueous solution as cost effective biosorbent

Abstract

The heavy metals found in contaminated waters are dangerous for the environment and human health, so it is necessary to seek and apply techniques to remove these pollutants, using adsorption techniques with natural biopolymers as cost effective biosorbent. Since large amounts of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus fruit) waste part are abandoned after the pulp used around Tepi areas, the possibility of developing value-added products from them is interesting innovation. In this work, cellulose fiber was extracted from Artocarpus heterophyllus fruit waste part and modified with Isopropyl alcohol groups to produce which were then used as Lead metal ion adsorbents. The modified cellulose was characterized by several techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This modified cellulose was used as adsorbents for adsorption studies of heavy metal ions (Pb2+) within batch adsorption systems. A solution of lead ion (Pb2+) was used as artificial wastewater for the purpose of studying biosorption efficiencies. The biosorption efficiencies of modified cellulose were studied by using four adsorption parameters. The optimum biosorption of modified cellulose at 25 °C, were found to be 94.2%, 76.12%, 82.54%, and 90.13%, of Pb2+ for the adsorption parameter; biosorbent dosage, contact time, Pb (II) concentration, and pH respectively. The biosorption kinetics behaviour of modified cellulose for Pb2+ fitted well with a pseudo-second-order model with correlation coefficient of 0.9975. The biosorption isotherm behaviour was well described using the Langmuir biosorption isotherm model with higher correlation coefficient of 0.9935. The reusability and desorption study of modified cellulose shows that it can be reused 2 to 4 times and after 5th cycles the desorption was significantly decreased. This study showed that the modified cellulosic adsorbents made from (Artocarpus heterophyllus fruit) were able to efficiently adsorb metal ions from aqueous solution.