EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PREPARATIONS OF ANNONA MURICATA L. LEAVES ON THE BIOSORPTION OF LEAD, NICKEL AND ZINC FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Annona muricata L. gained popularity in the last couple of years and has been acknowledged as a ?miracle cure for cancer?. The leaves are commercialized as tea. This study explored the utilization of the leaves as a biosorbent material in the removal of heavy metals Pb, Ni, and Zn in aqueous solution. Different preparations of the leaves were done: air drying (AD), oven drying (OD), drying under low heat using a burner (LHD), and drying in a furnace (FD). Heavy metal analysis after the biosorption experiment was done using microplasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES). Results show that percent absorption/adsorption of lead is in the order of AD>FD>LHD>OD. In terms of percent nickel and zinc absorption, same trend was obtained, that is, FD>AD>LHD>OD. Adsorption isotherms, kinetics studies, FTIR and SEM analyses were done to explain the effects of the preparation methods in the biosorption of heavy metals.