12 5 ESPR-S-15-05957

Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Efficient removal of lead (II) and methylene blue from aqueous solution using eco-
friendly Rosmarinus officinalis waste: Kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamic studies.
--Manuscript Draft--
Manuscript Number:
Full Title: Efficient removal of lead (II) and methylene blue from aqueous solution using eco-
friendly Rosmarinus officinalis waste: Kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamic studies.
Article Type: Research Article
Keywords: Eco-friendly biosorbent,
methylene blue,
lead (II),
Rosmarinus officinalis,
Waste materials valorization,
thermodynamics parameters.
Corresponding Author: Amel CHAABOUNI, Doctor
Faculté des Sciences de Sfax
Cité Elhabib Rue de Soukra Km3, Sfax TUNISIA
Corresponding Author Secondary
Information:
Corresponding Author's Institution: Faculté des Sciences de Sfax
Corresponding Author's Secondary
Institution:
First Author: Zied MARZOUGUI, Ph.D
First Author Secondary Information:
Order of Authors: Zied MARZOUGUI, Ph.D
Amel CHAABOUNI, Doctor
Boubaker ELLEUCH, Professer
Order of Authors Secondary Information:
Funding Information:
Abstract: The biosorption of lead (II) ions and methylene blue from aqueous solution using an
eco-friendly adsorbent ROBW (e.g., Rosmarinus officinalis biowaste obtained as by-
product from locally extraction industries of essential oils) has been considered in this
work. The biosorption experiments were carried out batch wise where the influence of
physicochemical key parameters such as initial pH solution, contact time, initial
adsorbate concentration, the amount of biosorbent, temperature and biosorbent
particle size were evaluated. The results of the study indicated that with the increased
adsorbent doses the adsorption capacity values decreased while the removal
percentage of adsorbate increased, whereas, no influence of particles size was
evidenced. The maximum biosorption occurred at pH 8.0 and 5.0, for methylene blue
and lead (II) ions respectively. The biosorption kinetic data were properly fitted with the
pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium data fitted very well to the
Langmuir model with a maximum monolayer biosorption capacity of 52.63 and 43.47
mg/g, for methylene blue and lead (II) ions respectively. Thermodynamic parameters
such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy were determined. Our study suggests
that ROBW can be used as cost-effective and efficient adsorbents for the removal of
heavy metals and cationic dyes from contaminated waters.
Suggested Reviewers: Raja Ben Ammar , Professer
University of Sfax
[email protected]
I suggest Pr. Ben Ammar as reviewer because she is an expert in their field;
environemental process and wastewater treatment
Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation

Nesrine BOUJELBENE, Dr
University of Sfax
[email protected]
I suggest Dr Boujilben because she is an expert in her Environmental Chemistry,
Green Chemistry, and Analytical Chemistry
Ragab Ragab, Professer
center for ecology and hydrology
[email protected]
I suggest Pr Ragab as reviewer because he is an expert in her Environmental impact
assesment, Environmental science and water ressources
Opposed Reviewers:
Additional Information:
Question Response
Are you submitting to a Special Issue? No
Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation

1
Efficient removal of lead (II) and methylene blue from aqueous solution
using eco-friendly Rosmarinus officinalis waste: Kinetic, isotherm and
thermodynamic studies.
Zied MARZOUGUI, Amel CHAABOUNI, Boubaker ELLEUCH
Laboratory Water-Environments and Energy (3E), National School of Engineers of Sfax
B.P. 1173, 3038, Sfax-Tunisia.
Correspondence to: Amel Chaabouni: [e-mail]
Manuscript Click here to download Manuscript Manuscrit ROBW_ 29_10_2015..docx
Click here to view linked References
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65

2
Abstract
The biosorption of lead (II) ions and methylene blue from aqueous solution using an eco-
friendly adsorbent ROBW (e.g., Rosmarinus officinalis biowaste obtained as by-product from
locally extraction industries of essential oils) has been considered in this work. The
biosorption experiments were carried out batch wise where the influence of physicochemical
key parameters such as initial pH solution, contact time, initial adsorbate concentration, the
amount of biosorbent, temperature and biosorbent particle size were evaluated. The results of
the study indicated that with the increased adsorbent doses the adsorption capacity values
decreased while the removal percentage of adsorbate increased, whereas, no influence of
particles size was evidenced. The maximum biosorption occurred at pH 8.0 and 5.0, for
methylene blue and lead (II) ions respectively. The biosorption kinetic data were properly
fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium data fitted very well to the
Langmuir model with a maximum monolayer biosorption capacity of 52.63 and 43.47 mg/g,
for methylene blue and lead (II) ions respectively. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs
free energy, enthalpy and entropy were determined. Our study suggests that ROBW can be
used as cost-effective and efficient adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals and cationic
dyes from contaminated waters.
Key words:
Eco-friendly biosorbent, methylene blue, lead (II), Rosmarinus officinalis, Waste materials
valorization, and thermodynamics parameters.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65

3
1. Introduction
Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in the generation of large quantities
of aqueous effluents, many of which contain high levels of toxic pollutants such as dyes and
heavy metals; Dyes are widely used in many industries like textile, leather, cosmetics, paper
printing, plastic, pharmaceuticals, food, etc… to color their products. Dyes can be toxic to the
aquatic life in receiving waters, being some of them mutagenic and carcinogenic. Most of the
manufacturers always go for the most stable dyes making them highly persistent in the
environment (I.A. Aguayo-Villarreal et al. 2013; I.D. Mall et al. 2006). In addition, the
degradation by-products of some synthetic organic dyes represent a potential environmental
hazard since they contain aromatic amine compounds that are toxic to many organisms
(Jenifer et al. 2014). Particularly, textile industries usually discharge huge amount of
wastewater mainly containing synthetic dyes. In a typical dyeing and finishing mill, about 100
liters of water is consumed on an average for every ton of clothes processed (Md. Motiar et al.
2011). On the other hand, metal processing and metal working industry, particularly
electroplating and surface finishing, is an important sector producing enormous amounts of
wastewaters containing mainly heavy metals ions (Bozic et al. 2009). The major concern with
heavy metals is their ability to accumulate in living organisms, causing severe disorders and
diseases. Detrimental effects on ecosystems and the health hazards associated with dyes and
heavy metals have been established beyond any doubt, making it absolutely necessary to be
removed (Marina et al 2014). Various treatment procedures have been developed for the
removal of these contaminants from industrial effluents such as ion exchange, reduction,
chemical precipitation and coagulation, membrane separation, osmosis and reverse osmosis,
and electrolytic technologies (Saliha et al. 2007; Yuying et al. 2015). However, the necessity
of using expensive chemicals in some methods as well as accompanying disposal problem are
among the drawbacks of these conventional methods (Yuying et al. 2015) and therefore limit
their wide scale application (Muhammad et al. 2009). As a result of these short comings,
adsorption is considered as an efficient and economical method that can be used for the
removal of toxic pollutants from effluents and industrial wastewaters with high retention
efficacy when applied with the proper adsorbent (Jenifer et al. 2014), especially if the
adsorbent is inexpensive and readily available. Indeed the cost of used adsorbents is the most
important restricted factor in view of applicability of the adsorption process (A. Ozer. 2007).
Currently activated carbon is the most widely used adsorbent for dyes and metal ions removal
but due to its expensive production and regeneration, it is still considered uneconomical.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65