Removal of Pb(II) from its aqueous solution by activated carbon derived from Balam Khira (Kigelia Africana)

Abstract

AbstractA low cost activated carbon derived from the fruit of Kigelia Africana (KA) was characterized by using Powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller techniques for effective removal of Pb(II) from its aqueous solution. The derived activated carbon from Kigelia Africana (CKA) had micro porous and meso porous pore size distribution with high surface area (799 m2 g−1) and high carbon content (79.42%). The batch mode experiments are carried out to investigate the effect of process parameters such as solution concentration, pH, temperature, contact time, CKA amount on adsorption. The maximum adsorption was found at pH 5.0 (97% for 2.5 g/l CKA in 50 mg/l Pb(II) initial concentration). The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin models were modeled to evaluate the equilibrium adsorption data, and the results describe the best representation of the Langmuir isotherm model with adsorption capacity 79.87 mg/g (R2 = 0.99) at 30°C. Thermodynamic study demonstrates spon...