Magnetically modified peanut husks as an effective sorbent of heavy metals

Abstract

Magnetically modified peanut husks were used as an adsorbent of cadmium and lead ions from aqueous solutions. Sorption and desorption experiments were carried out and adsorption isotherm models were calculated to assess the sorption capacity of the material. Langmuir adsorption isotherm was the best fitting model both in one-metal ion and two-metal ions solutions suggesting monolayer adsorption taking place. The observed desorption rate was very low, metals are therefore strongly bound on the surface of the adsorbent. Magnetically modified peanut husks were found to be suitable adsorbent for removal of heavy metal ions from water.