Zearalenone Removal by Using Banana Peel as anAdsorbent

Zearalenone (ZEA) is the mostoccurringFusariumtoxin in animal feed causing reproductivedisorders and results in severe economical losses. A renewable bio adsorbent sourced from bananapeel was tested for in vitro removal ofZEAfrom liquid mediums at different pH values. Efficacyof banana peel to sequester ZEA was evaluated by varying its pH, adsorbent dosage, equilibrationtime and quantified by using UHPLC-MS/MS. Adsorption was found to be efficient andcompleted in fifteen minutes with highest adsorption at alkaline pH (9). The adsorption anddesorption studies have demonstrated the adsorption was strong enough to sustain the pH changes(3-9). Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM)was used to characterize the surfaceof bio sorbent to explain the mechanism of adsorption.Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm was found to be best fitted model with maximum monolayercapacity (Q0) 8 ng/mg. The results of this study suggested that dried banana peel may be aneffective low costdecontamination method to be incorporated in animal feed.