Introduction
Water contamination is a pressing global issue, especially in areas with limited access to clean drinking water. Organic pollutants such as dyes, heavy metals, and other contaminants from industries pose significant risks to health and the environment. Many conventional methods, including chemical treatment and reverse osmosis, are expensive and energy-intensive.
Orange peels, a common agricultural waste, are rich in cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin, which are known for their high adsorption capacity. Utilizing orange peels as a bioadsorbent offers a sustainable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly approach to water purification while reducing organic waste.
Statement of the Problem
Industries such as textile, dyeing, and mining generate effluents containing dyes and heavy metals that contaminate water bodies. These pollutants persist in the environment, posing severe health risks. Existing water purification methods are often inaccessible to low-income communities due to high costs. This project investigates orange peel powder as an alternative, low-cost solution for removing contaminants from water.
Objective
- To determine the adsorption efficiency of orange peel powder in removing dyes, heavy metals, and organic pollutants.
- To establish the optimal conditions for its use, including dosage, contact time, and particle size.
- To evaluate the potential for scaling up this method for practical applications.
Apparatus and Materials
- Fresh orange peels
- Drying oven or sunlight drying setup
- Grinder or blender
- Contaminated water samples (e.g., water with methylene blue, lead nitrate, or chromium)
- Beakers and glass jars (500 mL)
- Measuring cylinder (100 mL)
- pH meter
- Stirring rods
- Filter paper or cheesecloth
- Spectrophotometer for dye concentration analysis
- Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) for heavy metal analysis
Procedure
1. Preparation of Orange Peel Powder
- Collect fresh orange peels from local sources.
- Wash them thoroughly under running water to remove dirt and pesticides.
- Slice the peels into small pieces and dry them in a drying oven at 60°C or under direct sunlight for 3–4 days until completely dehydrated.
- Grind the dried peels into a fine powder using a blender or grinder.
2. Preparation of Contaminated Water Samples
- Create artificial contaminated water samples for testing:
- Dye Solution: Dissolve 50 mg of methylene blue dye in 1 liter of distilled water.
- Heavy Metal Solution: Prepare a solution with 10 ppm of lead nitrate or chromium.
3. Adsorption Experiments
- Take three beakers and fill each with 200 mL of the contaminated water samples.
- Add orange peel powder as follows:
- Beaker A: No treatment (control).
- Beaker B: Add 2 g of orange peel powder.
- Beaker C: Add 5 g of orange peel powder.
- Stir the mixtures gently for 10 minutes to ensure proper mixing.
- Allow the solutions to settle for 1 hour.
- Filter the solutions using filter paper or cheesecloth to remove the orange peel residues.
4. Analysis of Treated Water
- Measure the initial and final dye concentration using a spectrophotometer at the dye’s maximum absorption wavelength.
- Test for heavy metal content using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).
- Measure turbidity using a turbidity meter and note changes in water clarity.
Observation
- Visual Changes:
- Untreated water (Beaker A) remained turbid and colored.
- Beakers B and C showed significant reductions in color intensity and turbidity, with Beaker C appearing the clearest.
- Adsorption Efficiency:
- Beaker B (2 g powder) showed moderate removal of dyes and heavy metals.
- Beaker C (5 g powder) exhibited a higher removal efficiency, indicating that a greater amount of bioadsorbent improves performance.
Data Table
| Parameter | Untreated Water (A) | Treated with 2 g (B) | Treated with 5 g (C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dye Concentration (ppm) | 50 | 25 | 5 |
| Lead Content (ppm) | 10 | 3.5 | 1 |
| Turbidity (NTU) | 100 | 40 | 15 |
| pH | Slightly acidic | Neutralized | Neutralized |
Conclusion
Orange peel powder is highly effective in adsorbing dyes, heavy metals, and organic pollutants from contaminated water. The adsorption efficiency increases with the quantity of orange peel powder used. This method is eco-friendly, affordable, and scalable, making it suitable for communities lacking access to advanced water treatment technologies.
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