Adsorption and Kinetic Optimization Study of Acetic Acid from Aqueous Solutions Using Activated Carbon Developed from Vernonia amygdalina Wood

Abstract

In this study, the adsorption of Acetic acid from an aqueous solution is investigated using activated charcoal prepared from Bitter leaf (Vernoniaamygdalina) that is activated by tap water. Carbonizations at different activation temperature with constant flow of air are used to examine for accepted accessibility of sorbent material. The optimum conditions obtained from this batch adsorption experiments highest adsorption capacity is recorded at activation temperature=400°C, contact time=60 min, pH=6, temperature=25 ± 2°C, charcoal (adsorbent) dosage=0.04 g, acid concentration=0.097 mol/L. More than 85 percent adsorption of acetic acid was recorded in every batch laboratory experiments. Adsorption kinetic and its equilibrium behaviors are studied. It indicates that the adsorption process obeys Pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. The characteristic results and dimensionless separation factor (R L) showed that Bitter leaf wood can be employed as an alternative bio-sorbent in the removal of carboxylic acid from an aqueous solution. The adsorption of acetic acid by Bitter leaf fit well into pseudo second order rate equation and the adsorption also obeyed Langmuir isotherm with a separation factor (R L =0.89). Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) analysis treated by tap water indicating good chemical transformations would have taken place.