Powder of Moringa oleifera seeds as a adsorbent for Metal Pollutants

Abstract

The high industrial growth is one of the major factors responsible for the contamination of water resources. Within this frame of reference, the present paper aims at evaluating the heavy metal adsorption process, by employing Moringa oleifera in natura seed powder. The Moringa oleifera in natura seed powder displayed a high elemental composition of carbon through a carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen analyzer and the OH and carbonyl groups present within the Moringa in natura seeds were identified by infrared spectroscopy. The determination of metal ion was carried out by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The efficiency of Cu²⁺ adsorption occurred over a relatively short period of time (360 minutes).  The adsorption capacity increased by increasing the pH, seeing that pH 5,0 displayed the highest removal percentage (90%). Concentrations of the copper solution employed were: 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L. Copper adsorption increased from 69 to 84% by increasing initial concentration. Findings also evidenced that the adsorber furnished the best linearity when experimental values were adjusted to fit Freundlich linear equation. Finally the material employed resulted appealing in regards to lower cost-effective copper remediation.