Removal of Pathogenic Bacteria from Water Using Pomegranate Peels

Abstract

D ESPITE expensive treatment procedures designed to eliminate harmful germs from drinkable water supplies and waterborne illnesses, they still pose a threat to public health. The current investigation is concerned with the removal of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria from aqueous solutions. The abundant and inexpensive natural resource, pomegranate dry peel (PDP), and its activated carbon (PDPAC) have been used as bio-adsorbents. Phosphoric acid (30%) was used to chemically activate the carbon at 800 ºC. The optimum contact time was 60min for the dry peel and 40min for the activated carbon at a pH range of 7.0 to 7.5 and 30 to 35ºC processing temperature. The adsorption isotherm of different bacteria was determined for both adsorbents and analyzed by three common isotherm models. The equilibrium results have matched well to the Langmuir equation and the maximal monolayer adsorption capacity was 12500, 14286, 20000, 1000 CFU/g with PDP and 25000, 25010, 33343, 20000 CFU/g with PDPAC for E. coli, S. enterica, S. aureus , and E. faecalis, respectively. This research can be applied in the treatment stages of water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, and household filters as a low-cost adsorbent material to remove pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and