Removal of some metal ions from aqueous solution using orange mesocarp

Abstract

In this study, the use of orange mesocarp residue biomass (modified and unmodified) as a costeffective and environmentally safe technique to remove Mg2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Pb2+ from aqueous solution was investigated. The results showed that unmodified orange mesocarp residue bound 56% of Mg 2+ , 81% of Zn 2+ , 71% of Cu 2+ , 73% of Pb 2+ , and 85.05% of Cd 2+ . In the case of modified orange mesocarp residue, it was able to bind the following amount of metal ions: 63.05% of Mg 2+ , 37.0% of Zn 2+ , 43.25% of Cu 2+ , 33.05% of Pb 2+ and 86.45% of Cd 2+ . These results show that orange mesocarp residue biomass can be effectively used to adsorb heavy metals from aqueous solution.