Biochar Innovation: Improving Industrial Effluent Quality Through Activated Plantain Biochar for Particulate Matter Adsorption

This innovative study explores the potential of plantain peel, a readily available and sustainable material, for the effective removal of particulate matter from industrial effluents. Through a series of batch experiments, the researchers investigated the optimal conditions for absorption, including pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and particle size. The findings reveal that the adsorbent activated with 0.5 M H2SO4 achieves an impressive 88.9% removal of chromium ions at a pH of 6. Notably, the results show that particle size has no significant impact on zinc ion removal, while the removal efficiency of lead and chromium ions decreases with increasing contact time and particle size. The study highlights the importance of treating plantain peel waste before using it as an adsorbent, as untreated plantain peel waste can actually increase the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values of industrial effluents. In contrast, the optimized method demonstrates the effectiveness of plantain peel as an adsorbent for removing particulate matter from industrial effluents, making it a promising solution for environmental water remediation. This research contributes significantly to the development of sustainable and eco friendly technologies for industrial effluent treatment. By harnessing the adsorption capabilities of plantain peel, industries can reduce their environmental footprint and improve water quality. The findings of this study pave the way for further research and large-scale applications, offering a promising solution for the effective removal of particulate matter from industrial effluents. In summary, this study showcases the potential of plantain peel as a sustainable adsorbent for removing particulate matter from industrial effluents, highlighting the importance of optimizing conditions for effective absorption and the need for pre-treatment of plantain peel waste. The results demonstrate the applicability of this method to environmental water samples, making it a promising solution for industrial effluent treatment and water remediation. Keyword: Biochar, Plantain, activated, peel, PM, effluent.