Exploration of Raw and Ferromagnetic Nanocomposite Sugar Bagasse Adsorbents for Heavy Metal Removal in Wastewater: Kinetics, Isotherms, and Thermodynamics Studies

ABSTRACT Heavy metal contamination of water sources is a concern for the environment and human health, indicating the importance of removing them. The ferromagnetic and raw sugar bagasse adsorbents were explored on the adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Fe(III) in wastewater. FTIR characterization confirmed the presence of functional groups such as O─H, C─H, C═O on raw and ferromagnetic sugar bagasse adsorbents with the new N‐H moiety in the ferromagnetic adsorbent. The SEM analysis showed a rough and irregular surface on the ferromagnetic adsorbent and flaky‐folded structures for the raw adsorbent. The EDX revealed a high chemical composition of oxygen on both adsorbents, and with a new nitrogen element on the ferromagnetic adsorbent. It exhibited removal efficiency of heavy metal ions to be 82%–97% for ferromagnetic and 65%–88% for raw adsorbent. Adsorption isotherms showed 206.54, 214.56, and 139.85 mg/g in ferromagnetic adsorbent and 74.67, 68.75, and 83.89 mg/g adsorption capacities for Raw sugar bagasse adsorbent, for Cu(II), Fe(II), and Pb(II), respectively. The pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model well‐described a heterogeneous adsorption mechanism of heavy metal ions. A thermodynamically favored and spontaneous adsorption process was also observed for heavy metal removal. The rapid uptake and regeneration studies of ferromagnetic nanocomposite adsorbent show great potential for heavy metal adsorption in water.