Khawla Nasri, Lotfi Sellaoui, Rihab Ghorbali, Felycia Edi Soetaredjo, Najoua Belhadj Mbarek Mkacher, Mohamed Mbarek, Houcine Ghalla, Nour Sghaier, Adrian Bonilla-Petriciolet, Suryadi Ismadji
This study reports a mechanistic analysis of Pb2+ and Cu2+ adsorption on activated carbon (AC) obtained from durian skin. Pb2+ and Cu2+ adsorption tests were carried out at 303–323 K and pH 5.5 to interpret the heavy metal—durian skin AC systems. A monolayer model was applied to simulate experimental isotherms and calculate steric and energy parameters. The results indicated that the removal of these target pollutants was a multi-ionic process. The saturation adsorption capacities of this AC improved with increasing aqueous solution temperature, ranging from 81 to 139 mg/g for Pb2+ and from 95 to 180 mg/g for Cu2+ under the tested operating conditions. The calculated interaction energies indicated a physisorption mechanism where oxygenated functional groups played a relevant role. Durian skin AC can be used as an alternative adsorbent for purifying wastewater and industrial streams polluted by heavy metals. © 2026 by the authors.
Laboratory of Asymmetric Synthesis and Molecular Engineering of Materials for Organic Electronic (LR18ES19), Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, 5019, Tunisia; Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, University of Gabes, Gabes, 6072, Tunisia; CRMN, Centre for Research on Microelectronics and Nanotechnology of Sousse, NANOMISENE, LR16CRMN01, Sousse, 4054, Tunisia; Laboratory of Quantum and Statistical Physics, LR18ES18, Faculty of Sciences of, Monastir University, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University, Kalijudan 37, Surabaya, 60114, Indonesia; National Engineering School of Monastir (LESTE), University of Monastir, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia; Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, 20256, Mexico