Biochar from waste verbena foumanat as an adsorbent to remove phenol from aqueous solution

Abstract

This paper studies the efficiency of biochar prepared from waste verbena foumanat (BWV) to adsorb phenolfrom aqueous solution. The waste verbena foumanat were collected from cafeterias, after then it was washedand dried at 70 °C. The dried verbena carbonized in muffle furnace at 800 °C. The characterizations of BWVbefore and after sorption were determined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fouriertransform infrared (FTIR). Batch adsorption process were conducted at contact time (0 – 120 min), BWVamount (0.2 to 1 gl-1), phenol initial concentration (25 - 150 mgl-1), pH solutions (2 – 12) and temperature (20– 50°C). The adsorption isotherm and the kinetic models were used in these investigations to fit dataanalysisBWV equilibrium data was fitted by Freundlich isotherm model. Although, a pseudo-second orderwas the better model to fit the adsorption kinetic. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated was 43.29mgg-1. The following investigation indicates that biochar from waste verbena (BWV) is an effective adsorbentwith an important adsorption capacity. It could be used as bio sorbent to eliminate phenol from industrialwastewater.