Yellow Passion Fruit Peel Research Articles

Removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions by adsorption using yellow passion fruit peel as adsorbent

The removal of color from aquatic systems caused by presence of synthetic dyes is extremely important from the environmental viewpoint because most of these dyes are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. In this present study, the yellow passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis Sims. f. flavicarpa Degener) peel a powdered solid waste, was tested as an alternative low-cost adsorbent for the removal of a basic dye, methylene blue (MB), from aqueous solutions. Adsorption of MB onto this natural adsorbent was studied by batch adsorption isotherms at room temperature. The effects of shaking time and pH on adsorption capacity were studied. An alkaline pH was favorable for the adsorption of MB. The contact time required to obtain the maximum adsorption was 56 h at 25 °C. Yellow passion fruit peel may be used as an alternative adsorbent to remove MB from aqueous solutions.

Statistical design of experiments as a tool for optimizing the batch conditions to methylene blue biosorption on yellow passion fruit and mandarin peels

In order to reduce the total number of experiments for achieving the highest removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions using yellow passion fruit peel ( Passiflora edullis, F. flavicarpa) and mandarin peel ( Citrus reticulata) as biosorbents two independent sets of full 2 3 factorial designs with two central points (10 experiments) were experimented. In order to continue the optimization of the system a new full 2 2 factorial design with two central points (six experiments) and a central composite surface analysis (13 experiments, divided into four cube points, five centre points, and four axial points) were employed for yellow passion fruit peel (PFP) and mandarin peel (MP), respectively. Using these statistical tools, the best conditions for MB removal from aqueous solution were initial methylene blue ( C 0) of 3.20 mg l −1, pH 9.0 for PFP and 11.0 for MP and time of contact higher than 48 h for PFP and 42.9 h for MP.