DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Arsenic is a naturally occurring toxic metal often found in industrial wastewaters, posing significant risks to human health and the environment. Industrial discharge into water bodies increases contamination risks.Objective: This study investigates the efficiency of agricultural wastes, specifically orange peel and walnut shell, as low-cost adsorbents for arsenic removal from aqueous media.Materials and Methods: Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to optimize conditions including pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and initial arsenic concentration. Industrial wastewater samples were analyzed, and adsorption isotherms were applied to evaluate adsorption nature.Results: Optimal removal (about 70%) was achieved at pH 5 using 2 g of adsorbent with 4 hours contact time and 20 ppm arsenic concentration. Freundlich isotherm provided a better fit than Langmuir, indicating heterogeneous adsorption sites.Conclusion: Orange peel and walnut shell are effective, sustainable, and economical adsorbents for arsenic removal, offering potential for industrial wastewater treatment applications.