Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 29 Number 1 (2025): 1292

Research Article

Preparation and characterization of modified rambutan peels for the removal of chromium(VI) and nickel(II) from aqueous solution: Environmental impact and optimization

Northaqifah Hasna Mohamed Khir^1,2, Nur Fatien Muhamad Salleh^1*, Noraini Abdul Ghafar¹, Nurasmat Mohd Shukri¹, and Rohayu Jusoh³

¹School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

²Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Terengganu Branch, Bukit Besi Campus, 23200 Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia

³Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Lebuh Persiaran Tun Khalil Yaakob, Gambang, Kuantan 26300, Pahang, Malaysia

^*Corresponding author: nurfatiensalleh@usm.my

Received: 29 August 2024; Revised: 19 November 2024; Accepted: 3 December 2024; Published: 10 February 2025

Abstract

Recently, environmental remediation has focused on using cheap biosorbents to get rid of heavy metals. Agricultural wastes like rambutan peels are gaining more attention because they contain cellulose and hemicellulose and metal-binding capabilities. The natural presence of functional groups like hydroxyl (-OH) and methylene (-CH₂) in these peels facilitates metal biosorption, which can be further enhanced by acid treatment. This study evaluates the effectiveness of raw rambutan peels (RRP) and acid-treated rambutan peels (ATRP) in removing nickel (Ni(II)) and chromium (Cr(VI)) from aqueous solutions under varying conditions of contact time (30-150 minutes), pH (3-11), adsorbent dosage (0.5-4 g) and initial metal concentration (5-100 mg/L). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated an enhancement of O–H on the surface of ATRP following acid modification by stronger transmittance peaks at 3333.89 cm⁻¹, respectively. ATRP achieved 88.79% removal of Ni(II) with a 90-minute contact time at pH 7, and Cr(VI) at 70.11% with a 120-minute contact time at pH 5. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were used to correlate sorption data. The result demonstrates that the Langmuir adsorption model fits best when compared to the Freundlich model with a coefficient of determination (R²)=0.9698 and adsorption capacity (q_m) of 33.4448 mg/g for Cr(VI) and R² = 0.9699 with q_m of 416.6667 mg/g for Ni(II). Statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U Test confirmed significant differences in the biosorption efficiencies between RRP and ATRP in removing Cr(VI) (p = 0.009) and Ni(II) (p = 0.026), underscoring the superiority of the chemically modified biosorbent ATRP as a highly effective biosorbent for Cr(VI) and Ni(II) removal, offering a sustainable solution for environmental remediation.

Keywords: agricultural waste, acid treatment, biosorption, rambutan peels, chromium and nickel

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