Removal of heavy metals using fruit peels as natural adsorbents

Heavy metal pollutants in water, soil, and subsurface environments pose serious risks to human health and raise substantial environmental concerns. Natural substances, agricultural waste, and industrial by-products can all be used effectively as low-cost adsorbents to remove heavy metals. This study examines the potential of utilizing fruit waste specifically banana and orange peels as cost-effective and environmentally friendly adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals. The measured parameters are the adsorption percentage of natural adsorbent treated with different concentrations (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 ppm) of iron (Fe) and different mass of adsorbent (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 g). Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) was employed to determine the residual metal concentrations after treatment. The results demonstrated that both types of fruit peels exhibited notable adsorption capacities for Fe. Orange peels showed the highest removal efficiency for 3.0 ppm Fe at an adsorbent mass of 3.0 g. These findings highlight the potential of fruit peel waste as a practical and sustainable solution for heavy metal removal, while also promoting the meaningful reuse of agricultural waste.