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Application of Unmodified Brachystegia spiciformis Leaf Biomass in the Adsorption of Nitrate Ions

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Abstract

The application of Brachystegia spiciformis leaf powder in the adsorption of nitrate ions was conducted on both synthetic and real water samples. Optimum adsorption conditions for nitrate adsorption were pH of 4, equilibration time of 45 min, and biosorbent dose of 1.5 g. Batch adsorption was used in this study and nitrate ions were analyzed using the salicylic acid method. Non-linear adsorption isotherm fitting indicated that the experimental data was described well by the Langmuir model with a monolayer adsorption capacity of 5.97 mg/g. The Langmuir`s separation factor, \({R}_{L}\), values were in the range, 0 < \({R}_{L}\)  < 1, indicating favorable interactions between nitrate ions and Brachystegia spiciformis leaf powder adsorbent. The pseudo first order model provided the best fit to the experimental kinetics data with an R2 value of 0.9880 and a rate constant of \(\left( {7.3 \pm 0.1} \right) \times 10^{ - 2}\) min−1. The Brachystegia spiciformis leaf powder adsorbent achieved 100% and 78% nitrate ions removal from dam water and industrial effluent water respectively. We have shown that a cheap biomass adsorbent that has high activity towards nitrate ions adsorption can be produced and applied in the adsorption of nitrates from water.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

    Kimberley Ruwaya

  2. Department of Chemical and Forensic Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 16, Palapye, Botswana

    Joy G. Mokone & Stephen Majoni

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021Andries Potgieter Blvd, Vanderbijlpark, 1911, South Africa

    Haleden Chiririwa

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  1. Kimberley Ruwaya
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Correspondence to Stephen Majoni.

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Ruwaya, K., Mokone, J.G., Chiririwa, H. et al. Application of Unmodified Brachystegia spiciformis Leaf Biomass in the Adsorption of Nitrate Ions. Chemistry Africa 4, 1007–1014 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-021-00282-4

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