Multiresponse Performance Evaluation and Life Cycle Assessment for the Optimal Elimination of Pb (II) from Industrial Wastewater by Adsorption Using Vine Shoot Activated Carbon

Abstract

Excess Pb (II) concentrations in wastewater have raised concerns of a risk to health and the environment due to their toxicity. This has contributed to the need for sustainable technology to remove heavy metals from wastewater. Biosorption provides a potential contribution to a solution. This study proposes a cost-effective method to remove lead ions from wastewater through the use of activated carbon from vine shoots as a biosorbent. However, economic cost and environmental impact are aspects that are necessary to study. This research suggests the use of a life cycle assessment and multiresponse surface method with desirability functions to improve and optimize the biosorption process. The experiments were conducted using a Box–Behnken design of experiments (BBD) combined with the multiresponse surface method. Three input variables were considered. They are initial lead concentration, pH, and the amount of activated carbon from vine shoots. These are the most significant adsorption process variables. The final lead concentration was considered as a process output variable. Human toxicity, global warming, abiotic depletion (fossil fuel), marine aquatic ecotoxicity, and freshwater ecotoxicity were regarded as process environmental impacts. Four optimization scenarios were proposed using these methods. The maximum removal of lead was 92.12%, whereas 92.09% of lead was removed when the minimum dose of vine shoot activated carbon was used. In contrast, 52.62% of lead was removed in the case of minimal environmental impact.