Decolourization of Synthetic Dyes using Eco-Friendly Fruit and Vegetable Peel Adsorbents

The synthetic dyes are bright in colour and cause water pollution when discharged into water bodies and adsorption is found to be a simple and cost effective method for removal of colour from synthetic dyes. This research is carried out to investigate the decolourization efficiencies of eco-friendly, cost effective adsorbents from fruit and vegetable peels (Watermelon Peel (WMP), Watermelon Rind (WMR), Mosambi Outer Peel (MOP), Mosambi Inner Peel (MIP), Papaya Peel (PAPP) and Potato Peel (POTP) on four synthetic dyes (Crystal Violet, Methylene Blue, Malachite Green and Methyl Orange). This research revealed that all fruit and vegetable peel adsorbents were found to be effective in removal of synthetic dyes at 100 mg/L (84.93 % and 87.25 % crystal violet and methylene blue dyes with watermelon peel; 68.49 %, 51.96 % and 34.78 % crystal violet, methylene blue and malachite green dyes with mosambi outer peel; 35.62 %, 53.92 % and 63.04 % crystal violet, methylene blue and malachite green dyes with potato peel; 57.53 % and 52.17 % crystal violet and malachite green dyes with papaya peel; 39.22 % and 39.13 % methylene blue and malachite green dyes with mosambi inner peel and 58.82 % and 56.52 % methylene blue and malachite green dyes with watermelon rind). Further it was found that these adsorbents could also decolourize dyes at 500 mg/L (52.9 % methylene blue dye with papaya peel; 38.68 % and 19.81 % crystal violet dye with mosambi inner peel and watermelon rind respectively; 30.51 % and 25.42 % methyl orange dye with watermelon rind and papaya peel respectively). Also it was seen that four adsorbents had very low percentage removal for methyl orange dye (2.27 %, 3.41 %, 5.68 % and 10.22 % with watermelon peel, mosambi inner peel, potato peel and mosambi outer peel respectively) at 100 mg/L and potato peel adsorbent had very low percentage removal for methyl orange dye (2.54 %) even at 500 mg/L.