Kinetics and isothermal evaluations of adsorptive desulfurization of dibenzothiophene over mixed bio-wastes derived activated carbon

Abstract

ABSTRACT An equivalent blend of date pits and olive stones (w/w) was employed as a low-cost precursor for activated carbon (AC) synthesis by the ZnCl2 activation method. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), surface area (BET), X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and the titration method were implemented in the diagnosis of the AC. The adsorptive action of the synthesized AC was inspected toward the desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The maximum % removal of DBT reached 92.86% under optimum conditions of 0.30 g of the AC, a contact period of 60 minutes, at 40°C, and 25 mL of 200 mg/L DBT solution. The adsorption data followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, while Freundlich isotherm model described best the adsorption data. The desulfurization study of the commercial gasoline through applying the best conditions gave a removal efficiency of 46.66% compared to 92.86% for the model gasoline. In conclusion, the present investigation presents a cheap and effective adsorbent for both model and commercial gasoline fuel desulfurization.