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Evaluation of the Adsorption Potential of Rubber (<i>Hevea brasiliensis</i>) Seed Pericarp-Activated Carbon in Abattoir Wastewater Treatment and in the Removal of Iron (III) Ions from Aqueous Solution


SE Agarry
CN Owabor

Abstract

The objective of this study was to produce activated carbon from rubber seed pericarp and to evaluate its performance with commercial activated carbon in the treatment of abattoir wastewateras well as its potential in the adsorption of iron (III) ions from aqueous solution. The rubber seedpericarp was carbonized at 400°C and activated with zinc chloride at 800°C to produce Rubber SeedPericarp Activated Carbon (RSPAC). The results indicated that the treatment effeciency of RSPACwas about 40 - 99% as that of the commercially supplied activated carbon. From the iron (III)batch adsorption studies, the experimental batch equilibrium data was correlated by Freundlich,Langmuir and Temkin isotherms. The Langmuir isotherm model provided the best correlation of the experimental data while the Lagergren pseudo-rst order kinetic equations could describe the adsorption kinetics very well. Thus, it was implied that RSPAC may be suitable as adsorbent material for wastewater treatment.

Keywords: abattoir waste water, activated carbon, adsorption isotherms, iron (III) chloride, lagergren equations,rubber seed pericarp


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eISSN: 2467-8821
print ISSN: 0331-8443