Utilization of Activated Carbon Prepared from Industrial Solid Waste for the Removal of Chromium(VI) Ions from Synthetic Solution and Industrial Effluent

Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) prepared from sago waste was characterized and used to remove chromium(VI) ions from aqueous solution and industrial effluent by adsorption methods using various conditions of agitation time, metal ion concentration, adsorbent dosage particle size and pH. Surface modification of the carbon adsorbent with a strong oxidizing agent like concentrated H 2 SO 4 generates more active adsorption sites on the solid surface and pores for metal ion adsorption. Adsorption of the metal ion required a very short time and led to quantitative removal. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models could describe the adsorption data. The calculated values of Q 0 and b were 5.78 mg/g and 1.75 1/min, respectively. An effective adsorption capacity was noted for particle sizes in the range 125–250 μm at room temperature (30 ± 2°C) and an initial pH of 2.0 ± 0.2. The specific surface area of the activated carbon was determined and its properties studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). These studies revealed that AC prepared from sago waste is suitable for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from both synthetic and industrial effluents.