Chitosan-Based Biosorption: A Sustainable Approach for Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater

With the rapid growth of industrial activities, water contamination has become one of the most pressing environmental issues worldwide. Among various pollutants, heavy metals are of particular concern due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulative nature. The control and remediation of such pollution is therefore of increasing scientific and societal interest.

In this context, our study investigates the potential of a natural, biodegradable, and eco-friendly biosorbent chitosan, derived from chitin extracted from marine crustacean shell for the removal of heavy metal ions from synthetic wastewater. The adsorption behavior of chitosan was explored using the batch equilibrium technique. A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the influence of key operating parameters, including contact time, initial metal ion concentration, temperature, and pH of the solution, on the adsorption efficiency.

The experimental data were analyzed to determine the sorption capacity of chitosan and to identify the optimal conditions for maximum metal ion removal. The results indicate that chitosan exhibits a significant affinity towards heavy metal ions, and its adsorption performance is highly dependent on the physicochemical conditions of the aqueous medium.

These findings highlight the potential of chitosan as a low-cost and sustainable alternative for water purification, especially in the context of developing low-impact treatment technologies for industrial effluents.