Use of Activated Carbon Derived from Maize Cob and Mahogany Seed Shell for the Removal of Colour from Textile Effluent

Abstract

In the present study natural adsorbents Maize Cob (MC) and Mahogany Shells (MS) were carbonized and activated with steam/zinc chloride and sieved into 600μm particle sizes. The adsorbents were treated for the removal of colour from textile effluent at different time. These adsorbents were also evaluated at different adsorbent doses and effluent concentrations. It was found that Maize cob has the highest colour removal efficiency of 86% and also at shorter time of 25minutes compared to Mahogany shells which record 73% and at 30, respectively. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were used for the mathematical description of colour adsorption equilibrium onto the adsorbents and the result obtained showed that the adsorption equilibrium data onto MC was closely fitted to the Langmuir model whereas the adsorption equilibrium data onto MS was closely fitted to the Freundlich model. Hence, adsorption of the colour onto the adsorbents is monolayer adsorption process.

Keywords: Adsorption Isotherm, Mahogany Shells, Maize Cob, % Removal, Textile Effluent