Removal of Heavy Metals like Lead from Water Using Adsorbent Derived from Waste Tires

This research paper investigates the potential of utilizing adsorbents derived from waste tires for the removal of heavy metals, particularly lead, from water sources. The increasing contamination of water bodies with heavy metals poses significant threats to both human health and the environment (EPA, National Water Quality Report, 2020; UN, Sustainable development goal 6: clean water and sanitation, 2021). Waste tires, being a major environmental concern due to their non-biodegradable nature, offer an opportunity to repurpose them into valuable adsorbents (Adams and Smith, Environ Sci Technol 45(3):567–582, 2022). This study explores the efficiency of waste tire-derived adsorbents in removing lead ions from water through batch adsorption experiments and examines the underlying mechanisms of adsorption (Brown and Garcia, J Environ Chem 20(2):211–226, 2021). The results reveal the promising adsorption capabilities of waste tire-derived materials, highlighting their potential as a cost- effective and eco-friendly solution for heavy metal removal from water. The findings demonstrated that waste tire adsorbents exhibit promising potential for Lead removal from wastewater. The OES (optical Emission spectrometer) method provided accurate and reliable measurements of lead concentrations, enabling a comprehensive analysis of the adsorption process. The results revealed optimal weightage ranges for the adsorbents, highlighting the importance of controlling the adsorbent dosage for maximum removal efficiency. This paper contributes to the understanding of waste tire adsorbents as a viable and sustainable solution for lead removal. The critical analysis of the ICP OES results sheds light on the key factors influencing the adsorption process. Further research should focus on exploring the adsorbent's performance under real-world wastewater conditions, as well as investigating potential mechanisms underlying the lead adsorption phenomenon.