Academia Open
Vol 10 No 1 (2025): June (In Progress)
Engineering

Thermodynamic Analysis of Activated Walnut Husks in the Adsorption of Iron (III) Ions from Aqueous Solutions: An Assessment of Feasibility and Sustainability
Analisis Termodinamika Sekam Kenari Teraktivasi dalam Adsorpsi Ion Besi (III) dari Larutan Berair: Penilaian Kelayakan dan Keberlanjutan


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  • Ihab. A. Altameemi*,
  • Ahmed Makki Sadaa
Ihab. A. Altameemi
Basra Education Directorate General, Ministry of Education, Iraq *
Ahmed Makki Sadaa
Basra Education Directorate General, Ministry of Education, Iraq

(*) Corresponding Author
Picture in here are illustration from public domain image or provided by the author, as part of their works
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10494
Published January 18, 2025
Keywords
  • Walnut husks,
  • iron removal,
  • biosorption,
  • Langmuir isotherm,
  • thermodynamic study
How to Cite
Altameemi, I. A., & Sadaa, A. M. (2025). Thermodynamic Analysis of Activated Walnut Husks in the Adsorption of Iron (III) Ions from Aqueous Solutions: An Assessment of Feasibility and Sustainability. Academia Open, 10(1), 10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10494. https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10494

Copyright (c) 2025 Ihab. A. Altameemi, Ahmed Makki Sadaa

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

This is the case of global water contamination phenomena for which an economic solution is necessary. Walnut husks have proved to be cost-effective alternatives in iron removal from aqueous solutions. A biosorption study of Fe(III) from aqueous solution using walnut husk powder pointed out that sorption capacity increased as the sorption temperature rose in accordance with various isotherm models. Thermodynamic study says that this is an endothermic process. That would then vindicate this study as showing the potential walnut husks, hence, can be used to efficiently remove heavy metals, which include iron, from water. Under the optimum condition, the maximum percentage removal was 93.28%. Observations during the experiment of the adsorbent showed high degrees of removal; at 25°C, pH=2, concentration = 100ppm, and weight=0.5g, the least percentage removal is up to 89.244 percent. Data shows that the regression coefficients give superiority to the Langmuir isotherm over the Freundlich model. Equilibrium data for the process were tested with the constants of Langmuir, and the constants of Freundlich were calculated. Further, thermodynamic experiments were carried out to ascertain the values of ΔS, ΔH, and ΔG for the adsorption of iron under optimized experimental conditions. Adsorption Capacity of Walnut Husks Powder for the Removal of Iron (Fe+3).

Highlights:

  1. Walnut husks effectively remove iron from aqueous solutions (93.28% removal).
  2. Sorption capacity increases with temperature; Langmuir model fits best.
  3. Thermodynamic study confirms endothermic nature, with positive ΔH and ΔS.

Keywords: Walnut husks, iron removal, biosorption, Langmuir isotherm, thermodynamic study

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