Sugar cane bagasse based activated carbon as an adsorbent for Phenol removal from aqueous solutions

Abstract

In this study, applicability of activated carbon derived from sugar cane bagasse to remove phenol from aqueous, solution by the technique of adsorption was investigated. The adsorbent was prepared from bagasse by therm.i I activation at 600°C in the absence of air. Batch adsorption studies were carried out to determine the factors affecting adsorption by varying experimental conditions; contact time, initial phenol concentration (50-150) mg/L, adsorbent dose (g/L) and initial solution pH. Adsorption Isotherms and kinetics were studied. Approximately 90(ih removal ()J phenol was observed at solution pH lto 9 and rapid decline in removal % was obtained beyond pH 9.5. Till experimental data were analyzed according to the Langmuir and Freundlich isothermal models. The equilibrium d.u.. were best fitted to Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 35.71 mg/g. Kinetic studies revealed that the pseudo-second order model was the best interpreter for the experimental data. Activated carbon prepared hI sugar cane bagasse is an efficient adsorbent material for removal of phenol from aqueous systems.