Removal of uranium from aqueous solution using cellulose extracted from the leaves of Musa paradisiaca

In this removal study, the removal efficiency of Uranium from aqueous solution using cellulose extracted from the leaves of the Musa paradisiaca plant was analyzed. The removal efficiency was analyzed for adsorbent doses in the range of 10 mg-50 mg, uranium ion concentrations from 10 μg/L to 100 μg/L, a pH range of 2-7, and time intervals between 15 min and 60 min. Results indicated that a maximum removal efficiency of 97.69 % of the uranyl ion from the solution was achieved after a 15-min contact period, for a 10 mg dose of the adsorbent, for a solution having a pH of 4.5 and an ion concentration of 55 μg/L. Further, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to study the interactions between different factors. The Musa paradisiaca leaves' cellulose appeared to be effective in the removal of uranyl ions from the aqueous solution. Response surface methodology has been used to study the adsorption behavior and its dependence on individual factors and their interaction. The study paves the way for finding more powerful biosorbents for environmental applications.