The valorization of Prunus mahaleb shell through acid modification for the sorption of Pb2+ removal from aqueous solution

This study aimed to investigate the biosorption performance of acid-modified waste Prunus mahaleb (PMA) shells in the removal of Pb 2+ ions from aqueous solutions. Changes in the morphological properties and functional components of PMA biosorbent were characterized using SEM–EDX, FT-IR, BET, and PZC analyses. The effect of various parameters such as initial Pb 2+ concentration, pH, PMA dosage, contact time, and temperature on biosorption was investigated using a batch biosorption procedure. The maximum biosorption capacity, determined using the Langmuir isotherm, was calculated to be 119 mg g −1 . It was found that the biosorption kinetic mechanism followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and intraparticle diffusion model. According to the determined thermodynamic parameters, the biosorption mechanism was found to be endothermic (Δ H ° > 0), spontaneous (Δ S ° > 0), and entropy-increasing (Δ G ° < 0). The outcomes of the experiment were evaluated in comparison to other sorbents that have been previously commonly used in the literature. It was demonstrated that PMA could be a promising, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable potential biosorbent for the removal of Pb 2+ ions.