Pomegranate peels collected from fresh juice shop as a renewable precursor for high surface area activated carbon with potential application for methylene blue adsorption

• Published in: Desalination and Water Treatment
• Main Author: Jawad A.H.; Sauodi M.H.; Mastuli M.S.; Aouda M.A.; Radzun K.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Desalination Publications 2018
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85054709810&doi=10.5004%2fdwt.2018.22725&partnerID=40&md5=5dcbe638caa21ee1df866eefc6bec90e

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.