This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporation of banana peel flour (BPF) on the nutritional and antioxidant properties of cookies prepared with wheat flour. Cookies were prepared by substituting 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% of superfine wheat flour with BPF and compared to control samples (with no BPF). The results showed significant differences in the moisture, protein, crude fat, and ash contents of 3.9–7.5, 1.75–8.75, 12.3–25.9, and 1.3–2.00 g/100 g, respectively. The highest moisture and ash contents were recorded in cookies with 15% BPF, while the highest protein and crude fat contents were recorded in control cookies. Physical characteristics such as the weight, diameter, thickness, and spread ratio were found to be 8.87–12.49 g, 4.067–4.167 cm, 0.4–1.13 cm, and 3.683–10.587, respectively. The hardness of cookies was increased significantly with the increasing proportion of BPF in cookies at a range of 15.84–25.55 N. However, the hardness of the cookies decreased with storage. Color range values, L*, a*, and b*, of the cookies were found to be 38.85–52.81, 6.74–8.12, and 16.09–21.52, respectively, with the higher L*, a*, and b* values for control cookies. However, these values changed during storage. Moreover, antioxidant properties significantly increased in cookies with the substitution of BPF, where the total phenolic content, DPPH, and lipid peroxidation were found to be in the range of 0.282–0.921 mg GAE/g, 47.761–70.298, and 36.74–71.84%, respectively, and some values decreased during storage. The results showed that cookies enriched with BPF were obtained with improved antioxidant properties and total phenolic content without altering their physical and nutritional properties and also fathomed the favorable acceptance.

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Wastewater contains organic pollutants and heavy metals which presents a significant threat to aquatic life and impacts human health and animals. In the past few years, the incomplete remediation of wastewater has made living beings suffer from various problems, and many health diseases are being noticed at a peak rate. Different methods have been employed to remove heavy metals from wastewater to date. However, the adsorption technique is the most efficient and eco-friendly for removing heavy metals and pollutants in wastewater remediation. Many agricultural wastes have been used as adsorbents for removing toxic pollutants and heavy metals from wastewater. Groundnut shell is widely considered agro-industrial waste. Groundnut shells account for nearly 20% of the dried peanut pod by weight, and millions of tons of its quantity are wasted every year. An increase in groundnut production leads to accumulating these groundnut shells in colossal quantities, which is not utilized; thus, they are either burnt or buried. Groundnut shells undergo slow degradation in the natural environment because they are rich in lignin content. Therefore, these shells can be converted into a valuable bio-product to produce less waste. Groundnut shells and groundnut shell-derived biochar act as good biosorbents in the wastewater treatment.