Synthesis, characterization and As(III) scavenging behaviours of mango peel waste loaded with Zr(IV) ion from contaminated water

Raw mango peel (RMP) was first saponified to yield saponified mango peel (SMP), which was then loaded with Zr(IV) ions to form a biosorbent for As(III) scavenging.The biosorption behaviors and mechanisms of As(III) scavenging using RMP and Zr(IV)-loaded saponified mango peel (Zr(IV)-SMP) were investigated batchwise. The As(III) scavenging efficiency of RMP increased from 20.13 % to 87.32 % after Zr(IV) loading. Optimum contact time of 6 h has been investigated for As(III) scavenging by Zr(IV)-SMP, and the data on kinetics is well fitted to the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model. Similarly, isotherm data of Zr(IV)-SMP fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model with the maximum As(III) scavenging potential of 45.52 mg/g. Chloride (Cl^-) and nitrate (NO₃ ^-) have negligible influence on As(III) scavenging, but sulphate (SO₄ ^2-) interferes significantly. The exhausted Zr(IV)-SMP could be easily regenerated by treating with 2MNaOH. A mechanistic study indicates that As(III) scavenging is primarily contributed to electrostatic interaction and ligand exchange, which is confirmed from both instrumental and chemical characterizations techniques. Tubewell underground water polluted with a trace amount of arsenic (98.63 μg/L) could be successfully lowered down to the WHO standard (10 μg/L) by applying a small amount of Zr(IV)-SMP. Therefore, the Zr(IV)-SMP investigated in this work can be a low-cost, environmentally benign, and promising alternative for scavenging trace levels of arsenic from contaminated water.