Comparison and Optimization of Operational Parameters in Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Low-Cost Adsorbents

Removal of heavy metal ions such as cadmium, lead, chromium, and iron from industrial wastewater is one of the most critical environmental problems. In this research, natural and low-cost adsorbents like the tangerine peel, bovine gut, tea waste, and sunflower seed hull were used for adsorption of heavy metals, such as chromium and iron, from contaminated solutions. The effects of environmental factors such as contact time, pH, the amount of adsorbent dose, and the initial concentration of metal ions in synthetic solution were investigated to obtain optimal conditions for the adsorption of heavy metal ions. For separation of chromium metal ion from aqueous solution, tea waste, tangerine peel, bovine gut, and sunflower seeds hull showed adsorption capacity of 85%, 51%, 46%, and 34%, respectively, while for the adsorption of iron (III), the adsorption capacities of tea waste, bovine gut, tangerine peel, and sunflower seeds hull were 96%, 96%, and 87%, respectively. The adsorption isotherms were in decent correlation with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption kinetics of iron and chromium has a proper validation with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The BET and FTIR analyses were also reported to investigate the adsorption properties. This study suggests these adsorbents as low-cost and economical materials for the adsorption of chromium and iron ions with a high adsorption rate.