Surface and adsorptive properties of activated carbon prepared from pomegranate shell

Abstract

Preparation of the activated carbon from pomegranate shell by H3PO4 chemical activation at different concentrations and calcination temperatures was carried out. The surface area of chemically modified activated carbon was 1457 m(2) g(-1). The surface characterization of both plant- and activated carbon was undertaken using FTIR-ATR spectroscopic technique. Prepared activated carbon was used as an adsorbent for the removal of a basic textile dye, which is methylene blue, from aqueous solutions. The effects of various process parameters i.e., pH, ionic strength and temperature, on the adsorption capacity of activated carbon were investigated. This investigation showed that methylene blue adsorption increased with increasing pH, temparature and ion strength. Activated carbon had an isoelectrical point at pH 3.48, and adsorption enthalpy was calculated as 11.30 kJ/mol. The experimental data indicated that the adsorption isotherms were well described by the Langmuir equilibrium isotherm equation. The separation factor (R-L) has shown that activated carbon can be used for removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions. According to these results, prepared activated carbon could be used as a low-cost adsorbent to compare with the commercial activated carbon for the removal textile dyes from textile wastewater processes.