Ecofriendly Approach for Treatment of Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Water Using Activated Carbon of Kernel Shell of Oil Palm.

Rabia Baby,Mohd Zobir Hussein

doi:10.3390/ma13112627

Rabia Baby, Mohd Zobir Hussein

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13112627

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Journal: Materials	Publication Date: Jun 9, 2020
Citations: 18	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Sukkur IBA University, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Abstract

Heavy metal ion contamination in water poses a significant risk to human health as well as to the environment. Millions of tons of agricultural wastes are produced from oil palm plantations which are challenging to manage. In this study, we converted palm kernel shells (PKS) from a palm oil plantation into activated carbon (AC) having a surface area of 1099 m2/g using phosphoric acid as an activator. The prepared material was characterized using BET, XRD, Raman, FESEM and FTIR analyses. The AC was applied for the treatment of heavy-metal-contaminated water, and different parameters; the pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and metal ion concentrations were varied to determine the optimal conditions for the metal ion adsorption. Different kinetic models; the zeroth, first-order and second-order, and Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were used to determine the mechanism of metal ion adsorption by the AC. Under the optimized conditions, Cr6+ and Pb2+ were removed completely, while Zn2+ and Cd2+ were more than 80% removed. This is a greener approach in which an agricultural waste, PKS is converted into a useful product, activated carbon and subsequently applied for the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water.

Highlights

Life is unheard of without the presence of water on any planet
Were removed completely, while Zn2+ and Cd2+ were more than 80% removed. This is a greener approach in which an agricultural waste, palm kernel shells (PKS) is converted into a useful product, activated carbon and subsequently applied for the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water
Heavy metal ions; Cr6+, Pb2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+ -contaminated water were treated with the activated carbon of the highest surface area prepared from PKS by activation with 20% phosphoric acid

Summary

Introduction

The industrialization has immensely contributed to environmental pollution, notably causing water contamination [1,2]. According to a WHO 2019 report, about 785 million people are deprived of basic drinking water services, and nearly. 2 billion people are drinking contaminated water. The use of contaminated water transmits diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, dysentery and polio [3,4]. In addition to drinking water, the contamination of irrigation water affects human health [5]. Namely viruses, bacteria, dyes, organic molecules and toxic heavy metal ions [4,6]. All contaminants are biodegradable except heavy metal ions, which in addition to being nonbiodegradable, accumulate in the body [7,8,9]

Methods

Results

Conclusion