Synthesis, characterization and environmental application of activated carbon from black seed meal biomass

Abstract

This study dealts with preparation of the activated carbon from black seed meal biomass as an adsorbent for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. The produced activated carbon was characterized by Brunauner-Emmett-Teller surface analyzer (BET), Fouirer Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) devices. From the results of characterization measurements, it was determined that the activated carbons with quite high surface area were produced. The MB adsorption from the aqueous solutions was examined using pH and temperature parameters. In the adsorption process, the adsorbed amount of MB on the activated carbon increased with increasing pH and temperature. The experimental data were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms and it was founded that the adsorption data were quite well fitted with Langmuir isotherm. The enthalpy value (Delta H degrees) for the adsorption of MB was calculated as 30.6 kJ/mol and the entropy value (Delta S degrees) as 0.21 kJ/mol K. These thermodynamic parameters confirmed th