Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Shell Based Activated Carbon for the Removal of Malachite Green Dye from Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

The adsorption of malachite green (MG) dye using coconut shell based activated carbon (CSAC) was investigated. Operational factors such as the effect of pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and solution temperature on the adsorption process were studied. Solution pH strongly affected the chemistry of both the dye molecule and CSAC in solution. Optimum dye removal was obtained at pH ≥ 8.0. Equilibrium was reached in 120 minutes contact time. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models were used to evaluate the adsorption data. The adsorption data fitted the Langmuir model most with maximum adsorption monolayer coverage of 214.63 mg/g. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were also used to fit the experimental data. Kinetic parameters, rate constants, equilibrium sorption capacities, and related correlation coefficients, for each model were calculated and discussed. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG⁰, ΔH⁰, and ΔS⁰ were evaluated and it was found that the sorption process was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic in nature. The mean free energy obtained from D-R isotherm suggests that the adsorption process follows physiosorption mechanism. The results showed that coconut shells could be employed as a low-cost precursor in activated carbon preparation for the removal of MG dye from wastewaters.

Keywords:

• coconut shells
• kinetics
• malachite green
• physiosorption
• sorption

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support received in the form of research grants from Universiti Sains Malaysia that resulted in this article. The 1-year Post Doctoral Fellowship jointly awarded by USM-TWAS to Dr. Olugbenga Solomon BELLO (FR Number: 3240223483 in Year 2009) of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.M.B 4000, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria and the 12- month study leave granted him by his home institution to honor this fellowship are both acknowledged.

Notes

^a Estimated by difference.