THE COMBINED ADSORPTION POTENTIAL OF BANANA AND ORANGE PEELS FOR HEAVY METAL AND HYDROCARBON REMOVAL FROM OILFIELD PRODUCED WATER: AN OPTIMIZED AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
Bioadsorbents, Banana peel, Heavy metals, Adsorption kinetics, Isotherm modelingAbstract
Produced water from oilfield activities contains hazardous concentrations of hydrocarbons and heavy metals, necessitating efficient treatment methods. This study assessed the potential of combined banana and orange peel bio-adsorbents for treating produced water collected from Awoba Flow Station, located at Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Initial gravity separation achieved a 95.87% reduction in hydrocarbon content (from 55,023 mg/L to 2,268 mg/L). Subsequent adsorption trials revealed significant metal removal efficiencies, particularly for zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni), with maximum removals of 46.0% and 44.4% respectively under optimal conditions (pH 8, 5 g dosage, and 80 minutes contact time). Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), though present at lower concentrations, were also effectively reduced. inetic modeling followed pseudo-second-order behavior, confirming chemisorption, while Langmuir isotherms indicated monolayer adsorption. Functional group involvement was confirmed by FTIR analysis, and SEM-EDS revealed metal deposition on the adsorbent surfaces. Reusability studies demonstrated over 70% retention of adsorption efficiency after five cycles. Data visualization using targeted charts for the key metals improved clarity. These findings support the application of banana–orange peel bioadsorbents as a sustainable, low-cost solution for produced water treatment in oil-producing regions.
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