Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) Pellets as a Biosorbent for Ni (II) and Cr (VI) removal in an aqueous solution

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine the ability of adsorbent oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) pellet to remove Ni (II) and Cr (VI) in an aqueous solution. Raw OPEFB pellet and acid-treated OPEFB pellet were utilised as adsorbents. The constitution of OPEFB pellets that consisted of functional hydroxyl groups was proven by FT-IR results confirming its ability to adsorb Ni (II) and Cr (VI) ions. For the removal of Ni (II), the percent removal of Ni (II) was found to be better by using raw OPEFB pellets but the removal of Cr (VI) was found to be better by using acid-treated OPEFB pellets. The optimum conditions for Ni (II) removal were at pH 5, 10 mg/L of initial concentration, 2.0 g of pellets had removed 76% of Ni(II) within 90 min. The optimum conditions for Cr (VI) removal were at pH 7, 10 mg/L of initial concentration, 3.0 g of pellets had removed 63% of Cr (VI) within 120 min. Hence it was proved that oil palm empty fruit bunch pellet could successfully adsorb Ni (II) and Cr (VI) in an aqueous solution.