Response surface methodology for optimization of the adsorption capability of ball-milled pomegranate peel for different pollutants

Pomegranate peel waste was milled using ball milling to get particles of size of 90 μm and used for adsorption of toxic pollutants. The response surface methodology was used for modeling of the adsorption capacity of copper ions and C.I. Reactive Yellow 145 (3RS) from wastewater using ball-milled pomegranate peel (BMPP). The predicted removal capacities obtained from the model are in a good agreement within the experimental results with correlation regression of 0.94 for dye adsorption and 0.92 for metal adsorption. The maximum removal capacity over adsorbent biomass is expected to be 209.7103 mg g− 1 for dye and 103 mg g− 1 for metal at optimal values of the independent variables. The analogue experimental results are 224 mg g− 1 for dye and 106 mg g− 1 for metal. Conclusively, the obtained results confirm the applicability of used model for predicting the adsorptive capacity of ball-milled pomegranate peel of dye and metals. As well ball-milled pomegranate peel is considering a powerful, cost effective and anionic/cationic adsorbent for decontamination of wastewater.