ADSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF Fe(III) IONS FROMAQUEOUS SOLUTIONS USING GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

In this study, the adsorption behavior of grapefruit peel was investigated as a potential lowcost and sustainable biosorbent for the removal of Fe(III) ions from aqueous solutions.The adsorption performance was systematically evaluated under a range of experimental conditions, including variations in solution pH, ionic strength, contact time, and initial metal ion concentration.The results demonstrated that the adsorption capacity was highly influenced by pH, with the maximum uptake of Fe(III) ions observed at pH 2.0, reaching an impressive sorption capacity of 264.44 mg/g.This indicates that grapefruit peel possesses a strong affinity for ferric ions under acidic conditions, likely due to the protonation of functional groups on the biosorbent surface, which enhances metal binding.The study highlights the potential application of this natural waste material in water purification processes, especially for the treatment of industrial effluents and contaminated natural water sources.This investigation was applied for determination of microamounts of Fe(III) ions in drinking water.