Use of Pistachio Shells as an Adsorbent for the Removal of Zinc(II) Ion

Abstract

In this study, the removal of zinc(II) ion from an aqueous solution by pistachio shells (PS) is investigated. The dynamic behavior of the adsorption is examined on the effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time. The adsorption rates are determined quantitatively and simulated by the Lagergren first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, and intra-particle diffusion kinetic models. The adsorption kinetic models are also tested for validity. The thermodynamic parameters, which are also deduced from adsorption experiments, are very useful in elucidating the nature of adsorption. The experimental results reveal that the optimum pH value and the contact time for the adsorption of Zn2+ onto PS are found as 6 and 10 min, respectively. According to these parameters, adsorption process follows the pseudo-second order kinetic model with high correlation coefficients (R-2 = 0.999). The obtained results demonstrate that PS is a reasonably effective adsorbent for the removal of Zn2+ from aqueous leachate of hazardous waste.