Production & Characterization of Activated Carbon from Date Seeds

Abstract

Activated carbon sequence (AC) was prepared based on the date seeds that are widely found in Iraq nature. Activated carbon preparation process done by dual-step heating & chemical activations with KOH and ZnCl2 and investigated for the adsorption of vital bacteria from river water. The impact of different preparation conditions, such as temperature and type of chemical agent of carbonization on the final porous texture of the carbons were studied. To describe the pores of carbon samples, an isotherm of nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements obtained at 77° K was employed. Using a microbial bacterium test, the effectiveness of bacterial adsorption from water by various activated carbons was investigated. It found that the (AC) samples treated with KOH have the highest surface area and are more efficient in bacteria removal. The largest obtained surface area was 1632.3 m2/g by KOH treatment of coal at 600°C. The bacteria removal efficiency of the activated carbon having the maximum surface area is nearly 90% of total bacterial colonies.