Removal of hexavalent chromium in aquatic solutions by pomelo peel

This study investigated the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in aqueous solutions using pomelo peel (PP) and FeCl3-modified pomelo peel (FPP) as novel biomass adsorbents. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of pH, time, temperature, initial concentration, and adsorbent dose on Cr(VI) removal by PP and FPP. The results show that the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was 21.55 mg/g for FPP and 0.57 mg/g for PP at a pH of 2.0 and a temperature of 40 degrees C. The surface shape, microstructure, and chemical composition of FPP were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and compared with those of PP. The results show that the adsorption performance of FPP was much better than that of PP, indicating that FPP can be an alternative high-efficiency adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal. (C) 2020 Hohai University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.