Advanced Materials Research Vol.

1048 (2014) pp 444-447 Submitted: 2014-08-14

© (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Accepted: 2014-08-16
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1048.444 Online: 2014-10-08

Study on removal of trivalent chromium from wastewater by banana peel

Xiao-Dong Li1, a
1
Department of Basic Science, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118,
Jilin Province, P. R. China
a
dxiaoli@163.com

Keywords: banana peels, biosorption, trivalent chromium

Abstract. The toxic metals released into the aquatic environment though various industrial processes
are detrimental to all living species. This paper used banana peels as an adsorbent for studying heavy
metal Cr(III) containing in waste water. Respectively, the effects of the adsorption dosage,
temperature, contact time, pH, initial Cr(III) ions concentration and shock time on adsorption were
investigated. The results showed that under the following condition: the dosage was 0.1 g, the pH
value of the wastewater was 2, the temperature is 30 ℃, the shock time was 2 h, the initial mass
concentration of Cr(III) was about 30 mg/L, the adsorbing capacity can be 22 mg/g. The adsorption
reaction is an endothermic process and mainly physical adsorption. Using banana peels to treat
chromium-contained wastewater has a very good application prospect.

Introduction
During the past few decades, a large amount of wastes containing toxic heavy metals has been
discharged into the receiving aquatic environment. The presence of trace metals in the aquatic
environment has been of great concern because of their toxicity and non-biodegradable nature.
Chromium is a priority metal pollutant introduced into the water bodies from many industrial
processes such as tanning, electroplating, metal processing, paint manufacturing, steel fabrication and
agricultural runoff. Chromium occurs in the aquatic environment as both trivalent [Cr(III)] and
hexavalent [Cr(VI)] states [1]. Chromium is toxic, corrosive and irritant. Long time contact with
chromium causes skin allergy and cancer [2]. In water chromium (III) is toxic to fish when its
concentration exceeds 5.0 mg·L-1.
Removal of chromium from waste water is one of the most important environmental issues.
Several physicochemical methods have been developed for the removal of heavy metals from
wastewater, like extraction, ion exchange, chemical precipitation and membrane separation processes.
All these methods have some merits and demerits including incomplete metal removal, low
selectivity, and production of large quantities of waste products that requires stringent disposal
requirement. Conventional methods are limited by technical and economic barriers, especially when
concentration of metals in waste water is low [3]. Adsorption is one of the most effective processes of
advanced wastewater treatment which industries employ to removal of hazardous metal ions from
aqueous solutions. Many sewage treatment industries use commercial activated carbon for the
treatment of industrial waste water. The current research is focused on the need to alternative to
commercial activated carbon as the cost effective, but potential adsorbent. Many researchers have
reported the feasibility of using various low cost adsorbents derived from natural materials, industrial
solid wastes, agricultural by-products and biosorbents as precursors.
Biosorption is an attractive technology for treatment of wastewater for removing heavy metals
from industrial wastewater. A biosorbent can be considered low cost if it requires little processing, is
abundant in nature, or is a by-product or waste material from another industry [4]. All biosorbents have
an intrinsic sorption property which is dependent on the concentration and types of functional groups
on the sorbent surfaces. As the density of these effective groups for metal binding is generally low,
biosorbents do not show a high sorption capacity.
To effectively apply these materials to the removal of heavy metals, it is essential to understand
the mechanism of interaction between the metal ions and the sorbent material, as well as the

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 Advanced Materials Research Vol. 1048 445

parameters that affect metal biosorption. In this study, we concerns the uptake of Cr(III) ions in
aqueous solutions by the banana peels. The banana contains a large number of pectic oligosaccharides
cellulose, cellulose, lignin, dietary fiber, etc. The influence of parameters, such as adsorbent dosage,
particle size and pH in the solution, on the biosorption process was examined.

Experimental
1. Reagents and materials
CrCl3·6H2O, Beijing Reagent Factory. Made into 1000 mg·L-1 chromium standard store up fluid
with the deionized water, uses the chromium standard store up fluid and the deionized water
configuration, dilutes the different density the chromium solution. The banana peel was obtained
commercially and used for the preparation of adsorbent.

2. Batch kinetic studies:

Batch equilibrium experiments have been carried out to find the kinetics of adsorption, such as
the optimum pH and equilibrium isotherms. A series of 250 ml conical flask are employed. The
procedure involved filling each flask with 250 ml of Cr(III) ions solution of 100 ppm. The banana
peel was washed with distilled water to remove surface impurities, cut into section shape and dried at
100 ℃ for 24 h, crushing. About 1 g banana peel is added into different flasks and stirred
intermittently for four hours and then flasks have been sealed and kept as such for 24 hours so that
equilibrium can be achieved. The effect of pH for Cr(III) removal using banana peel is studied in a pH
range of 1 to 7. The amount of banana peel is varied from 0.5 to 2 mg. The adsorbed amount of metal
ions was calculated from the decrease in the metal ions concentration from which percentage
adsorptions were calculated as follows:
C − Ce
A% = 0 × 100 (1)
C0
The amount of Cr(III) adsorbed by banana peel was calculated based on the difference of Cr(III)
concentration in aqueous solution before and after adsorption according to the following equation:
(C − Ce )V
qt = 0 (2)
M
where qt is the amount of Cr(III) ion adsorbed per unit weight of banana peel (mg/g) at time t, C0 and
Ct are the concentrations of Cr(III) ions (mg/L) at initial time and at time t respectively, V is the initial
volume of Cr(III) sample (L) and m is mass of banana peel (g). When t is equal to the equilibrium
contact time, Ct = Ce, qt = qe, then the amount of Cr(III) adsorbed at equilibrium, qe was calculated
using Eq. (2).

Results and discussion

1.Effect of amount of adsorbent
The effect of amount of banana peel on the uptake of Cr(III) is found to be significant as shown
in Fig.1. The banana peel used as adsorption in the dosage range of 0.01 ~ 0.12 g, the initial
concentration of Cr(III) is controlled in 30 mg·L-1. When the dosage of banana peel is increased, the
uptake of removal rate for Cr (III) rose sharply. The adsorption occurs primarily within 5 minutes and
the equilibrium was established after 30 minutes. The amount of banana peel is an important factor
that directly influences the uptake of the metal ion. The increase in the removal efficiency is not so
significant when the amount of banana peel (0.1 g) is further increased as could be seen from the Fig.1.
The value of uptake for Cr(III) is 20 mg·L-1.
446 Advances in Textile Engineering and Materials IV

Fig. 1 Effect of amount of adsorbent Fig. 2 Effect of pH

2.Effect of pH
The effect of pH on the removal of Cr(III) ions by banana peel is found to be significant as
shown in Fig. 2. The pH is varied from 2 to 7 during study. When the pH rose to 2 – 4 range, the
removal rate increased to 99.9% rapidly, when the pH in the 5 – 6, the adsorption capacity decreased
again, this might be due to more than the Ksp value of Cr(III), produced Cr(OH)3 to precipitate and
deposited in the banana peel surface, subsequently affected the elimination rate relations. At pH 7,
removal rate on the raise again, may be generated by Cr(OH)3 precipitate more and more, it increased
the removal rate. Therefore,banana peel is suitable for processing between pH 3 – 4 containing Cr(III)
waste water.

3. Effect of temperature
Adsorbent heavy metals from wastewater is often physical adsorption and chemical adsorption
coexist in the same process, the physical adsorption process is exothermic, cooling is conducive to
adsorption, chemical adsorption is endothermic process, heat is conducive to adsorption. Therefore,
different sets of experiments are conducted at different temperatures at 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50,
55 ℃ and it is evident in the Fig. 3. As the reaction temperature elevation, banana peel on the removal
rate of Cr(III) was also increased. When the temperature increased from 20 ℃ to 45 ℃, the removal
rate from the 88.8% raise to 99%, when the temperature continued to rise to 45 ℃, the removal rate
remained at 99%, tends to be balanced. Therefore, banana peel strong adaptability to temperature,
considered the actual situation of the wastewater disposal, banana peel on the adsorption of Cr(III)
can be carried out at the normal temperature.

Fig. 3 Effect of temperature Fig. 4 Langmuir adsorption equation

4. Langmuir isotherm
Adsorption isotherm data are quantified to describe the interactions between the adsorbate and
adsorbent and are critical in optimizing the use of adsorbent. The Langmuir equation is the most
 Advanced Materials Research Vol. 1048 447

popular of all the nonlinear isotherm expressions. At 30 ℃, shock adsorption 30 min, observed 0.06
g banana peel to the 20 mL initial density was 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mg·L-1 contains the Cr(III)
wastewater adsorption effect. As the water concentration increases, Cr(III) removal rate decreased,
but the unit Cr(III) banana peel adsorption increased, which increases the utilization of banana peel.
Through the banana peel to the different concentrations of wastewater containing Cr(III) adsorption,
with Langmuir adsorption isotherm data was fitted, so the adsorption isotherm shown in Fig. 4.
C 1 C
Langmuir isotherm expression: e = + e
qe q m b q m
where qe (mg/g) is the amount of adsorbed metal ions on the biosorbent at the equilibrium, Ce
(mg/L) is the residual concentration of metal ions after adsorption, qm (mg/g) is the maximum
adsorption capacity, and b (L/g) is the binding constant. The correlation coefficient (R2) of the
Langmuir plot is high which suggests that the equilibrium adsorption of respective metal ions onto
the biosorbent could be best described with the Langmuir (isotherm) adsorption equation.

Conclusions
A new biosorbent is explored, which is easily available, cost effective, and eco-friendly. Batch
adsorption experiment performed for adsorption isotherm and kinetic studies at their optimum pH
revealed that ADBP has excellent adsorption capacities. Banana peel has a good adsorption
performance to the low concentration Cr(III) solution. At the wastewater temperature 30 ℃, pH was
2, adsorption 2 h, 0.1 g of banana peel for Cr(III), the chromium ion removal rate above 99%. The
adsorption process includes physical adsorption and chemical adsorption, mainly physical
adsorption. Physical adsorption depends on van der Waals forces of attraction between molecules
and condensation of liquids. Meanwhile, the adsorption process is endothermic. However, further
adsorption/desorption studies concerning the recovery and reuse of banana peel should be carried out
to investigate the cost effectiveness and potential application in the waste water treatment.

Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by Jilin Province Youth Foundation (20140520120JH and
20140520080JH) and Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Jilin Jianzhu University (861063).

References
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[2] Y.S. Yun, D. Park, J.M. Park, B. Volesky, Environ. Sci. Technol., vol. 35 (2001), p. 4353
[3] A. Witek-Krowiak, R.G. Szafran, S. Modelski, Desalination, vol. 265 (2011), p. 126
[4] G.M. Gadd, J. Chem. Tech. Biotech., vol. 84 (2009), p.13
Advances in Textile Engineering and Materials IV
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1048

Study on Removal of Trivalent Chromium from Wastewater by Banana Peel

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