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Simultaneous removal of Cu2+and Pb2+ions by unmodified apple pomace: Isotherms, kinetics and implications for scale-up

par Chazuza, Great G.C.;Afolabi, Felicia Omolara;Musonge, Paul;Okoro, Oseweuba Valentine;Shavandi, Armin
Référence Biomass & bioenergy, 109256
Publication Publié, 2026

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

Heavy metal contamination of water resources poses significant environmental and public health risks, particularly from toxic metals such as Cu2+ and Pb2+. This study investigates the simultaneous removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ from wastewater using apple pomace, a by-product of apple juice production that is often discarded, leading to secondary pollution. Isotherm studies were conducted for the binary solute system of Cu2+ and Pb2+, with one metal fixed at 50 mg L−1 and the other varying from 10 to 50 mg L−1 to characterize adsorption equilibria. The Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm model provided the best fit for Pb2+ (R2 = 0.97), while the Freundlich isotherm gave the best fit (R2 = 0.87) for Cu2+. Maximum experimental adsorption capacities under competitive conditions were 3.45 mg g−1 for Cu2+ and 3.98 mg g−1 for Pb2+. Although the adsorption capacities were lower than those reported for chemically modified apple pomace, the elimination of pre-treatment costs and secondary waste generation enhances the practical feasibility. Kinetic studies were conducted at identical concentrations (50 mg L−1 each) and analysed using nonlinear models. The Elovich model provided the best fit for Cu2+ (R2 = 0.96), while the intraparticle diffusion model best described the Pb2+ kinetics (R2 = 0.93). Notably, Pb2+ exhibited preferential adsorption over Cu2+, which is consistent with its higher affinity for oxygen-containing functional groups. The findings underscore apple pomace as a promising adsorbent for the simultaneous removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+, providing a basis for further optimization and scale-up investigations.