The Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Waste Water Using Jojoba Oil in a New Technique

Abstract

The removal of heavy metal ions (Cu⁺⁺ and Pb⁺⁺) from their aqueous solutions of cupper sulfate and lead nitrate has been investigated with a new technique using jojoba oil obtained from solvent extraction of prepressed jojoba meal. Synthetic aqueous solutions having different initial concentrations (20–80 ppm) were treated with different jojoba oil doses ranging from 2–15% by mixing for different intervals (0.5–2 h) at room temperature. The effect of these variables on the removal of heavy metal was investigated. In addition, a corresponding relation between initial concentration of heavy metal and its removal was also obtained. On the other hand, jojoba oil loaded with heavy metal was regenerated and tested to its efficiency in a second removal cycle and the results showed that jojoba oil has the ability to remove heavy metal with the same efficiency several times after its regeneration.

Keywords:

• heavy metal
• jojoba oil
• removal
• waste water