Browsing by Author "CHEROP RAEL"

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    ADSORPTION AND KINETICS OF LAMBDA-CYHALOTHRIN FROM WASTEWATER USING ACTIVATED CARBON FROM BANANA PEELINGS BIOMASS
    (CHEROP RAEL, 2026) CHEROP RAEL
    The escalating crisis of agricultural pesticide pollution in surface waters demands the development of affordable, localized wastewater treatment technologies. In regions like Eastern Uganda, the intensive use of the synthetic Type II pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-CH) has led to documented contamination of transboundary aquatic ecosystems presenting severe neurotoxic risks to aquatic life and local communities. While adsorption is a highly efficient remediation method, the localized potential of waste-derived activated carbon has not been fully realized. Disparities in pesticide removal efficiencies between non-optimised banana peel carbons and optimised biomass alternatives highlight a critical research gap in targeting appropriate material synthesis and surface chemistry protocols within the Ugandan context. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of chemically activated carbon synthesized from abundant, low-cost banana peelings biomass for the targeted removal of λ-CH from wastewater. Fresh banana peels will be collected, dried, milled, and impregnated with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) at a 1:1 ratio before being carbonised at 500°C. The resulting activated carbon will be characterized Iodine number. Batch adsorption experiments will be conducted to evaluate the effects of contact time (up to 120 minutes), solution pH (2–11), and adsorbent dosage (0.1–0.5 g/L), with residual pesticide concentrations measured quantitatively via UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Preliminary laboratory data demonstrate exceptionally favorable monolayer adsorption, adhering strictly to the Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.9985). Kinetic monitoring revealed that the equilibrium state is reached within 120 minutes, with a peak removal efficiency of 99.9% under optimal acidic conditions (pH 2), fitting closely to pseudo-second-order and Elovich chemisorption mechanisms. The findings confirm that optimised banana-peel activated carbon is a highly potent, ecologically sustainable, and scalable adsorbent for decentralised pesticide remediation in agrarian river basins.