Performance of rubber seed shell adsorbents for removal of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution

Abstract

Regeneration of rubber seed shell (RSS) in producing an effective low-cost activated carbon (AC) through chemical activation using H3PO4. Adsorption of methylene blue (MB) by raw, AC1 (impregnation ratio 1:1) and AC2 (impregnation ratio 1:3) carbons were analyzed to discover its adsorption capacity. The effects of various experimental parameters: pH of solution, initial concentration, contact time and adsorbent dosage were analyzed. Characterization of adsorbents produced were performed using SEM, ash content, iodine number and BET. Overall performance of the adsorbents was investigated by employing the optimum values obtained in the batch adsorption studies. This study revealed that the carbon with higher impregnation ratio (AC2) has the highest removal efficiency of MB at 91.4%. Specific surface area, iodine adsorption number and ash content for AC2 are 317.6 m2/g, 676.9 mg/g and 2.6%, respectively. This study revealed the primacy of chemically activated carbons with higher impregnation ratio (AC2) for the removal of MB.