Summary: | Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) peels were utilized as precursors to prepare mesoporous activated carbon (PPAC) via H3PO4-activation method. The surface characterization of PPAC was achieved using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption/ desorption, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and the point of zero charge (pHPZC) method. It was found that PPAC a large surface area and total pore volume corresponded to 1280.45 m²/g and 1.343 cm3/g, respectively. The adsorption properties of PPAC with methylene blue (MB) was conducted at different adsorbent dose (0.23 g/L), solution pH (311), initial dye concentrations (50 mg/L400 mg/L), contact time (0135 min) using batch mode operation. The kinetic uptake profiles are well described by the pseudo-second-order model, while the Langmuir model describes the adsorption behaviour at equilibrium. The maximum adsorption capacity of PPAC with methylene blue was 384.61 mg/g at 303 K. Various thermodynamic parameters such as standard enthalpy (∆H°), standard entropy (∆S°) and standard free energy (∆G°) showed that the adsorption of MB onto PPAC was favourable and endothermic in nature. © 2018 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.
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