Olive Stone Waste Research Articles

A Facile Method to Transform Pickled Olive Wastes Into Sulfur-Doped Carbon for Sodium-Ion Battery Electrode.

This work provides a novel, low-cost, and effective method to prepare disordered carbon materials for advanced sodium-ion batteries using biomass. A large amount of olive stone waste is yearly produced in the world, and it could be re-used for fine applications other than fuel for heat production. After treatment with sulfuric acid solution and carbonization process, wastes of olive stone are efficiently transformed into optimized carbon electrode material. XRD, XRF and XPS, electron microscopy, and physical gas adsorption are used for the compositional, microstructural, and textural characterization of the carbons. During the synthesis, impurities are removed, C-S links are formed and micropores pores are created. Sulfuric acid acts like S-dopant. The latent pores, or pores closed to nitrogen, can be found using CO2 adsorption, and are very suitable for accommodation for sodium. The results reveal that the reversible capacity is raised from ca. 200 mAh g-1 to ca. 250 mAh g-1 for the carbon obtained through treatment with sulfuric acid. The improved electrochemistry is the result of the s-doping and the porosity.

Sustainable synthesis and characterization of cobalt-based biocatalysts from olive stone waste for enhanced curing of unsaturated polyester resins

The functionalization of native olive wood shell stone for the formation of new active heterogeneous cobalt-based biocatalysts has been conducted. The resulting biocatalysts have been fully characterized using various analytical techniques, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), elemental analysis, granulometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry (TGA), moisture content, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-angle annular dark-field imaging (HAADF) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The catalytic performance of these new functional heterogeneous materials has been verified by gelation time measurements on a multipurpose unsaturated polyester/styrene/tert-butyl peroxybenzoate system. The results are compared with those obtained using the current workhorse of the industry, which utilizes cobalt-based catalysts, particularly cobalt octoate dissolved in a solvent solution known to have adverse environmental and human health implications.

Nutritional upgrade of olive mill stone waste, walnut shell and their mixtures by applying solid state fermentation initiated by Pleurotus ostreatus

Present study concerns the transformation of the agro-industrial by-products olive mill stone waste (OMSW) and walnut shell (WS) to a protein-enriched animal feedstuff utilizing the solid state fermentation (SSF) technique. For this purpose, various mixtures of these by-products were exploited as substrates of the SSF process which was initiated by the P. ostreatus fungus. The respective results indicated that the substrate consisted of 80% WS and 20% OMSW afforded the product with the highest increase in protein content, which accounted the 7.57% of its mass (69.35% increase). In addition, a 26.13% reduction of lignin content was observed, while the most profound effect was observed for their 1,3–1,6 β-glucans profile, which was increased by 3-folds reaching the 6.94% of substrate’s mass. These results are indicative of the OMSW and WS mixtures potential to act as efficient substrate for the development of novel proteinaceous animal feed supplements using the SSF procedure. Study herein contributes to the reintegration of the agro-industrial by-products aiming to confront the problem of proteinaceous animal feed scarcity and reduce in parallel the environmental footprint of the agro-industrial processes within the context of circular economy.

Removal efficiency, metal uptake, and breakthrough curve of aqueous lead ions removal using olive stone waste

Olive industries generate olive stone waste (OSW), which is recognized as an organic contaminant. Jordan is one of the Mediterranean Sea countries that produces a large amount of these residues. Waste from olive stones could serve as a biosorbent. One of the most hazardous heavy metals produced in a variety of industries, including the production of paint and batteries, is lead ions. The purpose of this work is to remove lead ions using olive stone waste as a biosorbent by adsorption techniques. The effects of initial concentration, pH, adsorbent concentration, and contact time are covered in the first section of the adsorption parameters, which is comprised of batch studies. In the second section, the breakthrough curve study was carried out using a fixed bed adsorption column. Findings said that the ideal pH for highest removal efficiency was occurred at 6.8 acidity and the most promising removal efficiency, at 25 ± 2 °C and 1 g of adsorbent for every 0.25 L of solution, hit 82.5 % of the initial concentration of 9 mg/L while 1 g of adsorbate was adsorbed in 1.9 mg of adsorbent. The breakthrough study indicated that after 110 h of operation a 150 L of treated solution attained with maximum removal efficiency of 90 % for lead ions initial concentration of (18 mg/L).

Improved Antioxidant Blood Parameters in Piglets Fed Diets Containing Solid-State Fermented Mixture of Olive Mill Stone Waste and Lathyrus clymenum Husks.

Solid-state fermentation represents a sustainable approach for the conversion of agro-industrial wastes into high-added-value feed ingredients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the dietary addition of a solid-state-fermented mixture of olive mill stone waste (OMSW) and Lathyrus clymenum husks (LP) on the antioxidant blood parameters of weaned piglets. Two hundred 35-day-old weaned piglets were allotted into two groups and fed either a control (C) diet or a diet containing 50 g of OMSW-LP per kg (OMSW-LP) for 40 days. Blood samples were collected at 35 and 75 days of age to assess the free radical scavenging activity (FRSA), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase activity (CAT), protein carbonyls (CARBs), and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS). The OMSW-LP diet reduced the TBARS (p = 0.049) and CARB contents (p = 0.012) and increased the levels of FRSA (p = 0.005), GSH (p = 0.040), and CAT activity (p = 0.012) in the piglets' blood, likely due to the synergistic action of the antioxidants and bioactive compounds present in the OMSW-LP mixture. Overall, the dietary inclusion of solid-state-fermented OMSW-LP at 50 g/kg could potentially serve a bio-functional purpose since it enhanced the antioxidant blood parameters in this study, a crucial factor for the health and growth of piglets post-weaning.

Olive stone as a filler for recycled high-density polyethylene: A promising valorization of solid wastes from olive oil industry

The valorization of solid residues generated from olive oil production is a challenging issue for olive oil-producing countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, etc. Olive stone waste is a type of lignocellulosic biomass with potential use as a natural additive in polymeric composites. In the present study, olive stone waste was compounded with recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) via melt mixing in 5 %, 10 %, and 20 % wt. Additionally, the effect of Joncryl (JC) and polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as compatibilizers on the properties of the green composites was also investigated. It is worth mentioning that JC was employed for the first time as a compatibilizer for polyolefin composites with olive stone. The materials underwent structural, thermal, and mechanical characterization using multiple complementary techniques. Scanning electron microscopy showed good dispersion of the filler for all composites, while in the compatibilized samples a markedly better adhesion was observed. Tensile tests revealed an increase in the elastic modulus for the composite with 10 % wt. olive stone. Furthermore, all materials demonstrated a strong antioxidant activity, rendering them interesting for active packaging applications. Overall, the solid residue from olive processing can enhance the properties of rHDPE, paving the way to promote circular economy.

Modeling of the biosorption of Fe(III) ions by olive‐stone activated carbon

This study deals with the optimization of Fe(III) ion removal using activated carbon from olive stone waste using advanced machine learning models. The main objective is to evaluate and compare the performance of machine learning models, specifically multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (MLP‐ANN), general regression artificial neural network (GR‐ANN), radial basis function artificial neural network (RBF‐ANN), and particle swarm optimization artificial neural network (PSO‐ANN) in predicting Fe(III) removal efficiency. Experimental data on adsorption parameters were used to train and test the models. Techniques such as tuning hidden layer neurons, optimizing propagation values, and using a Taguchi approach PSO algorithm were applied to improve the models. For the MLP‐ANN model, the optimal configuration contains 13 neurons in the hidden layer. Concerning the parameters involved in the PSO‐ANN model, the coefficient C2 and the particle have the main effect on the reduction of the error. Their contributions are respectively 49% and 19%. The PSO‐ANN model showed superior performance with the highest regression coefficient (0.9997) and remarkable prediction accuracy, surpassing other models such as MLP‐ANN and GR‐ANN. This research suggests that innovative optimization techniques, particularly using PSO algorithms, significantly enhance the predictive capabilities of machine learning models in complex adsorption processes, contributing to more accurate Fe(III) removal models.

A sustainable and highly efficient fossil-free carbon from olive stones for emerging contaminants removal from different water matrices

The olive stone is a large waste product of the olive oil extraction industry. The present study investigates developing activated carbon from olive stone waste (OSAC) to remove pharmaceuticals from water. Different temperatures and olive stone: KOH ratios were studied. The OSAC produced at 750 °C and 1:3 ratio was found to have the highest porosity and surface area and was tested in the adsorption process. Diclofenac and ciprofloxacin were selected as model contaminants. The adsorption process was optimized with regards to OSAC dosage, pH, temperature, and initial concentration of adsorbate. The OSAC was found to be effective for a wide pH range (2–11) with an optimum dosage of 1 g/L at 25 °C. The pharmaceuticals were almost completely removed in 75 min. The adsorption was endothermic and followed first-order kinetics with physical mechanisms such as electrostatic possibly being the main driver. The optimum conditions were applied to test the removal of diclofenac and ciprofloxacin in synthetic water, lake water (Lake Balaton, Hungary) and secondary wastewater for seven cycles. There was little difference between the removal of the tested water matrices highlighting the potency of OSAC as an adsorbent for pharmaceutical removal in industrial applications. The removal dropped from >99% for the first cycle to 20–30% for the seventh cycle.

Investigating the Effect of Operational Variables on the Yield, Characterization, and Properties of End-of-Life Olive Stone Biomass Pyrolysis Products.

In recent years, biomass has emerged as a promising raw material to produce various products, including hydrocarbons, platform chemicals, and fuels. However, a more comprehensive evaluation of the potential production of desirable value-added products and chemical intermediates is required. For these reasons, this study aimed to investigate the impact of various operating parameters on the pyrolysis of end-of-life olive stone, an agriculture and food industry waste, using a tubular quartz reactor operated at 773 K. The results revealed that the product compositions were comparable under batch or semi-batch nitrogen feeding conditions and with reaction times of 1 or 3 h. The product distribution and composition were significantly influenced by changes in the heating rate from 5 to 50 K min-1, while the effect of changing the biomass particle size from 0.3 to 5 mm was negligible in the semi-batch test. This work provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between pyrolysis operational parameters and obtained product distribution and composition. Moreover, the results confirmed the possible exploitation of end-of-life olive stone waste to produce high-added value compounds in the zero-waste strategy and biorefinery concept.

Enhancing the Availability of Potassium in New Egyptian Soils using Biochar Produced from Olive Stone Waste

The warming phenomenon is one of the most difficult challenges of the times. Agricultural waste decomposition contributes to global warming due to the increase in greenhouse gases. Carbon sequestering is used to reduce greenhouse gases to mitigate the warming phenomenon. Applying biochar is one of the most important tools for sequestering carbon in the soil for hundreds to thousands of years. Paper aims to produce olive stone biochar (OSB) and apply it to soils to study its effect on soil properties and the status of K (Quantity/Intensity of K). Biochar was produced from olive stone waste at 650°C and applied at rates of 0, 1, 2, and 5% in two investigated soils (sandy and calcareous) to study its effects on soil properties and growth of the wheat plants. Results of biochar analysis indicated that it possesses several functional groups and essential elements (N, P, and K), a large surface area (394.25 m2 g-1), and an average fine diameter (0.8 µm). The application of OSB improved several soil properties, including water holding capacity, %porosity, bulk density, cation exchange capacity, and availability of some nutrients, especially potassium. Additionally, it increased the soluble-K and ammonium acetate (NH4OAc-K) levels in the investigated soils. The potential buffering capacity of K (PBCK), activity ratio of K (ARK), and labile K (KL) were also enhanced. Moreover, OSB application improved the wheat plant’s height, root depth, dry matter, and NPK content. Therefore, we concluded that biochar is beneficial for sequestering carbon for the long-term and improving soil fertility.

Characterization of Lightweight Mortars with Cork and Olive Stone Waste for Old Building Rehabilitation

Characterization of Lightweight Mortars with Cork and Olive Stone Waste for Old Building Rehabilitation

Transformation of mixtures of olive mill stone waste and oat bran or Lathyrus clymenum pericarps into high added value products using solid state fermentation

The main objective of this study concerns the bioconversion of agro-industrial wastes into high added value products, such as proteinaceous animal feed, using Solid State Fermentation process (SSF). For this purpose, the Olive Mill Stone Waste (OMSW) which is known to contain low amounts of proteins and a high concentration of anti-nutritional substances was used as substrate. Subsequently, OMSW was fermented with Oat Bran (OB) or Lathyrus clymenum pericarp (LP) in proportions varying from 10 %w/w to 30 %w/w, applying SSF process initiated by Pleurotus ostreatus utilizing latter’s secreted enzymes for their degradation. The respective results indicated that the addition of 30 %w/w of OB, resulted in a 39% increase of the protein content at the end of fermentation (Day 21). In addition, we observed a 5-fold increase of 1,3–1,6 β-glucan content and a simultaneous decrease of unwanted lignin of 24%. The addition of 20 %w/w of LP afforded, at the end of fermentation (Day 21), an increased protein content of 57%, a 3-fold increase in 1,3–1,6 β-glucans and a decrease in lignin concentration of 13%. These findings demonstrate the potential of the LP utilization by using SSF process, for the production of high nutritional value dietary supplements for animal feed. This endeavor constitutes the first literature report for the utilization of the agro-industrial waste LP. The developed methodology herein is considered as crucial for the circular economy since it refers to the reuse of agro-industrial wastes and the production of a high added-value product.

Effective use of activated carbon from olive stone waste in the biosorption removal of Fe(III) ions from aqueous solutions

The pollution of industrial wastewater by heavy metals introduces a large number of iron ions, which constitute a hazard to human life even at trace concentrations. Most processes for the treatment of wastewater with Fe(III) ions and others heavy metals today are based on chemical physical methods. They have the disadvantage of generating a secondary sludge, which always requires additional treatment. This makes the heavy metal removal process more expensive. In contrast, the biosorption process has proven in recent years to be an alternative, economical and efficient process for the treatment of wastewater that is contaminated by metals. This paper proposes the use of Multi-Response Surface with desirability functions (MRS) to optimize the process of biosorption using activated carbon from olive stone waste to remove Fe(III) ions from aqueous solutions. The study has been validated on a laboratory scale, is not technically demanding, is environmentally friendly and involves a cost that will be acceptable to the industrial wastewater for economic reasons. Several parameters or inputs of the biosorption process were considered. They included the initial iron concentration, biosorbent dosage, process temperature, agitation time and mixing speed. However, the concentration of Fe(III) ions that are present in the treated wastewater is the variable to optimize in three optimization scenarios when the minimum, mean and maximum values of initial iron concentration appear in their study range (lower, intermediate and higher value). These scenarios were based on a desire to obtain the maximum elimination of Fe(III) for any value of parameters or inputs of the biosorption process, maximum elimination of Fe(III) when the energy consumption of the adsorption process was minimized, and maximum elimination of Fe(III) when the biosorbent dosage was minimized. The proposed adsorption process achieved a maximum Fe(III) elimination of 99.51%, 99.24% and 99.49% for the first, second and third optimization scenarios respectively when, in all cases, the initial iron concentration was 55 mg/L. Agreement between the experimental and predicted results indicates that activated carbon that is derived from olive stone waste can be used as a biosorbent.

Adsorptive of Nickel in Wastewater by Olive Stone Waste: Optimization through Multi-Response Surface Methodology Using Desirability Functions

Pollution from industrial wastewater has the greatest impact on the environment due to the wide variety of wastes and materials that water can contain. These include heavy metals. Some of the technologies that are used to remove heavy metals from industrial effluents are inadequate, because they cannot reduce their concentration of the former to below the discharge limits. Biosorption technology has demonstrated its potential in recent years as an alternative for this type of application. This paper examines the biosorption process for the removal of nickel ions that are present in wastewater using olive stone waste as the biosorbent. Kinetic studies were conducted to investigate the biosorbent dosage, pH of the solution, and stirring speed. These are input variables that are frequently used to determine the efficiency of the adsorption process. This paper describes an effort to identify regression models, in which the biosorption process variables are related to the process output (i.e., the removal efficiency). It uses the Response Surface Method (RSM) and it is based on Box Benken Design experiments (BBD), in which olive stones serves as the biosorbent. Several scenarios of biosorption were proposed and demonstrated by use of the Multi-Response Surface (MRS) and desirability functions. The optimum conditions that were necessary to remove nickel when the dosage of biosorbent was the minimum (0.553 g/L) were determined to be a stirring speed of 199.234 rpm and a pH of 6.369. The maximum removal of nickel under optimized conditions was 61.73%. Therefore, the olive stone waste that was investigated has the potential to provide an inexpensive biosorbent material for use in recovering the water that the nickel has contaminated. The experimental results agree closely with what the regression models have provided. This confirms the use of MRS since this technique and enables satisfactory predictions with use of the least possible amount of experimental data.

Production of particleboard using olive stone waste for interior design

The utilization of agricultural solid waste of olive oil industry (olive stone) to produce particleboards for interior design may result in several environmental and economic benefits. Moreover, these wastes which were once converted into particleboards would become an excellent alternative source to replace wood and wood fiber. In Libya, concerns have been rising about the amount of the olive stone wastes from the olive oil processing industry which were dumped in the environment annually. Accordingly, this study was examined the possible feasibility of the olive stone wastes in the production of particleboards for interior design. Particleboards were produced by using olive stone waste and commercial polyester sealer as a binding agent. The results showed that the physical, mechanical and biological properties of the produced particleboards in terms of moisture content, water absorption, thickness swelling, bending strength, porosity and resistance against fungi and bacteria are in good agreement with international standard. Additionally, these particleboards can be drilled, nailed, sawed, and painted similarly to any other wood-based particleboards. Attempts to find suitable applications for the produced particleboards in interior decoration were successfully accomplished. The overall results of the study demonstrate that the olive stones are appropriate material to make particleboards for interior design.

Adsorption of pharmaceutical residues on adsorbents prepared from olive stones using mixture design of experiments model.

In this work, inexpensive and easily available olive stone (OS) waste was used as the source material to prepare activated carbons (ACs) by chemical activation with phosphoric acid and zinc chloride. The mixture design of experiments (MDOE) method was applied to study the effect of the composition of the mixture of unmodified olive stones (UOS) and ACs prepared from olive stones activated with ZnCl2 (ACOS ZnCl2) and H3PO4 (ACOS H3PO4) on the absorption of pharmaceutical residues. The adsorbed tetracycline (TC) amounts at equilibrium predicted from the model equation developed using Microsoft Excel were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values (R2 = 0.999). Based on the results of the model, the amount of TC removed increased as the proportion of ACOS H3PO4 in the adsorbent mixture increased and the highest amount of TC adsorbed was obtained with an adsorbent made up entirely of ACOS H3PO4. Separate adsorption tests for sulfamethazine (SMT) and amoxicillin (AMX) on ACOS H3PO4 showed that SMT was adsorbed best (189.81 mg/g), followed by TC (183.11 mg/g) then AMX (155.69 mg/g). However, when these molecules were present together in the same solution, it was TC that adsorbed best, followed by SMT then AMX. In addition to this, the sorption process studied was best described by a pseudo-first-order model and it was the Langmuir model that satisfactorily described the equilibrium data.

Deployment of olive-stone waste as a substitute growing medium component for Brassica seedling production in nurseries.

In the Mediterranean region, olive-stone waste (OSW) is accumulated and considered of environmental and human health constraints. In this study, OSW was used for peat (P) replacement in growing media for Brassica seedling production. Cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage were seeded in growing media consisted of 0-20-40-60% OSW. The mixture of OSW with peat increased growing media bulk density and reduced the total pore space and available water and air at root system. A Considerable amount of minerals were provided into the growing media with the OSW, while their availability was increased with the raised pH values. Seed emergence percentage decreased with high ratio of OSW which also increased mean emergence time. The addition of OSW decreased plant height, leaf number, and fresh weight in all three examined species. The OSW decreased stomatal conductance (in cauliflower and cabbage) and chlorophylls content (including broccoli). The insertion of OSW affected the mineral accumulation in plants with decreases in nitrogen and sodium content and increases in potassium and calcium. OSW increased to some extent for cauliflower and broccoli or unchanged for cabbage polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity (ABTS, FRAP). Cellular damage was caused by the addition of OSW by increasing the lipid peroxidation and the production of hydrogen peroxide, and as a consequence, the plant antioxidative (catalase, superoxide dismutase) enzyme metabolism increased. The current study demonstrates that up to 20% of OSW can substitute peat for cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage seedling production while cabbage was performed better under the increased OSW-caused stress.

Surface Modification of Olive Stone Waste for Enhanced Sorption Properties of Cadmium and Lead Ions

Abstract This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of an efficient anionic olive stone waste-based material as new ion-exchanger adsorbent. The olive stone waste was subjected to an alkaline pretreatment in order to enhance their reactivity towards maleic anhydride. The maleate-derived material MOS was characterized by FTIR, 13C NMR, TGA and DSC. The resulting sodium form of material NaMOS was subjected to batch experiments in order to evaluate its cadmium and lead removal efficiency. Adsorption experimental data showed a uniform and rapid process. Both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were found to fit adequately the equilibrium isotherm data. The sorption capacities reached 240.96 mg Cd g−1 and 127.38 mg Pb g−1. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the process was exothermic and the adsorption occurred spontaneously. The desorption experiments show a quantitative recovery of the metal ions from NaMOS material.

Alternative soilless media using olive-mill and paper waste for growing ornamental plants.

Peat-based growing media are not ecologically sustainable and peat extraction threatens sensitive peatland ecosystem. In this study, olive-stone waste (OSW) and paper waste (PW) were used in different ratios-as growing media-for ornamental crop production, as peat (P) substitutes. Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.), petunia (Petunia x hybrita L.) and matthiola (Matthiola incana L.) plants were grown in (1) P (100%), (2) P:OSW (90%:10%), (3) P:OSW (70%:30%), and (4) P:OSW:PW (60%:20%:20%). The physicochemical properties of these substrates and the effects on plant growth were determined. The addition of 10-30% OSW into the substrate increased marigold height compared to plants grown in 100% peat. No differences in plant size, plant biomass (leaves and flowers), and dry matter content were found. Adding PW, in combination with OSW, maintained marigold height and total number of flowers produced to similar levels as in plants grown in 100% peat. In matthiola, adding 30% OSW into the substrate reduced plant size and fresh weight, but not plant height. No differences were observed when plants grew in lower OSW (i.e., 10%) content. Petunia's height, its total number of flowers and flower earliness (flower opening) were increased in the presence of OSW compared to the plants grown in 100% peat. The addition of OSW did not affect petunia's size and fresh weight among treatments. The addition of PW suppressed several plant growth-related parameters for both matthiola and petunia. The insertion of OSW did not change leaf chlorophyll content whereas the presence of PW decreased chlorophylls for marigold, petunia, and matthiola. Both OSW and PW altered the content of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) in leaves and flowers for marigold and petunia. Both 30% OSW and PW increased antioxidative enzyme metabolism due to the increased damage index and lipid peroxidation observed in plants. Leaf N and P content decreased in PW-based media, while matthiola displayed visual phytotoxicity symptoms when PW was added into the substrate. The present work indicates that up to 30% of OSW can replace peat for marigold and petunia growing and only up to 10% of OSW for matthiola, while the addition of PW on top of OSW is not recommended, so further research is needed.

Sorption of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solution using activated carbon prepared from olive stone waste

The performance of olive stone activated carbon (OSAC) for sorption of Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions was investigated via batch technique. OSAC materials were prepared under different physially activation conditions. Olive stone waste was physically activated with N2 gas and steam gas at 900oC at 3.5h hold time (OSAC-3) was choice as the best one for Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ removal. Characterization for OSAC-3 were performed under BET-surface area, SEM, density and FTIR-spectrum. Optimum adsorption conditions were specified as a function of agitation time, initial metal concentration, pH and temperature. Kinetic results were found to be fast and described well by the pseudo-second order model. The adsorption capacities are 25.38mg/g (Cu2+), 16.95mg/g (Zn2+) and 14.65mg/g (Ni2+) which followed the sequence Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Ni2+. Spontaneous adsorption for all the studied cations, endothermic nature for both Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions and exothermic nature for Cu2+ ions were obtained. The results showed that OSAC-3 is a good economical material for Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ remediation from weakly acidic contaminated effluents.