Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, cilt.103, sa.7, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a green route using lemon peel extract and evaluated for Cu2+ removal from aqueous solutions. The incorporation of bio-derived functional groups resulted in a hybrid organic–inorganic structure with modified surface properties. The synthesized LP–ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, SEM–EDS, XPS, and zeta potential analyses, confirming the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups and providing direct evidence of Cu2+ binding onto the adsorbent surface. Batch adsorption experiments showed that LP–ZnO achieved a maximum removal efficiency of 86.7% under optimum conditions (pH 5.2, dosage 2 g/L, contact time 360 min, initial Cu2+ concentration 50 mg/L, and temperature 318 K). The maximum adsorption capacity was 25.06 mg/g according to the Langmuir model, while the Redlich–Peterson model indicated slight surface heterogeneity. Kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model, whereas thermodynamic results indicated a spontaneous and endothermic process. The low mean adsorption energy (E < 8 kJ/mol) suggests that physisorption is dominant. Spectroscopic and electrokinetic analyses demonstrated that Cu2+ adsorption proceeds via a multi-mechanistic pathway involving electrostatic attraction, surface complexation with Zn–O/–OH groups, and interactions with bio-derived oxygenated functional groups. The absence of significant changes in Zn 2p spectra indicates that Cu2+ ions are primarily bound to surface-active sites rather than incorporated into the ZnO lattice. Artificial neural network (ANN) modeling showed strong predictive capability within the studied range, while regeneration experiments confirmed moderate but stable reusability. Overall, LP–ZnO is a sustainable adsorbent in which bio-derived functional groups contribute to surface modification and multi-mechanistic adsorption behavior rather than direct enhancement of adsorption capacity.