Valorization of a cheap plant-based biomass for successful and sustainable removal of a common synthetic pollutant from water resource

Abstract In recent years, the production of value-added materials from plants has attracted great interest from scientists around the world. In this study, a novel biosorbent from Prunus laurocerasus leaves ( Pll ), an herbal waste, material that was eco-friendly and cheap, was successfully produced to remove synthetic dye (methylene blue, MB) from aqueous environment. Optimum bio-adsorption conditions were contact period of 360 min, solution pH of 8, biosorbent amount of 10 mg and MB concentration of 15 mg L − 1 . Experimental biosorption profile was best fitted by Langmuir isotherm model ( R 2 : 1.000, R 2 adj : 0.999, RMSE : 0.504), showing a bio-adsorption capacity of 70.870 mg g − 1 , and Elovich kinetic model ( R 2 : 0.981, R 2 adj : 0.980, RMSE : 2.693). Synthetic dye biosorption was a spontaneous, feasible and physical process. Pll exhibited a surface structure favorable for retention of synthetic dye. These remarkable experimental data indicate that Pll can be successfully used in field of removal of synthetic dyes from aqueous medium.