Modified Orange Peel Waste as a Sustainable Material for Adsorption of Contaminants

World orange production is estimated at 60 million tons per annum, while the annual production of orange peel waste is 32 million tons. According to available data, the adsorption capacity of orange peel ranges from 3 mg/g to 5 mg/g, while their water uptake is lower than 1 mg/g. The low water uptake of orange peel and the abundance of biomass in nature has made orange peel an excellent biosorption material. This review summarised different studies on orange peel adsorption of various contaminants to identify properties of orange peel that influence the adsorption of contaminants. Most of the literature reviewed studied orange peel adsorption of heavy metals, followed by studies on the adsorption of dyes, while few studies have investigated adsorption of oil by orange peel. FTIR spectra analysis and SEM micrographs of raw and activated orange peels were studied to understand the structural properties of the biomass responsible for adsorption. The study identified pectin, hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, and amine groups as components and important functional groups responsible for adsorption in orange peel. Furthermore, changes were observed in the structural properties of the peel after undergoing various modifications. Physical modification increased the surface area for binding and the adsorption of contaminants, while chemical treatments increased the carboxylic groups enhancing adsorption and the binding of contaminants. In addition, heating orange peel during the thermal modification process resulted in a highly porous structure and a subsequent increase in adsorption capacities. In conclusion, physical, chemical, and thermal treatments improve the structural properties of orange peel, resulting in high biosorption uptake. However, orange peels treated with chemicals recorded the highest contaminants adsorption capacities.