Adsorption of Copper (II) Ions onto Surfactant-Modified Oil Palm Leaf Powder

Abstract

Il palm leaf powder (OPLP), an agricultural solid waste was used as adsorbent for the removal of copper (II) ions after modification with an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), CH₃(CH₂)₁₁C₆H₄SO₃Na. The copper (II) ions adsorption is highly dependent on pH and maximum removal was observed at pH 6, above which copper (II) started to precipitate. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted into the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted well to data with 0.989 regression coefficient (R²). The kinetics of the adsorption of copper (II) ions onto the surfactant-modified OPLP was best described by a pseudo-second-order model. Comparison of this SDBS-modified-OPLP to previously investigated adsorbents showed comparably good result, offering this material as a promising adsorbent for the treatment of waste waters containing lower concentrations of copper (II) ions.

Keywords:

• Adsorption
• copper (II)
• kinetic
• oil palm leaf
• surfactant

Acknowledgements

This study was funded through USM short-term grant number 304/PTEKIND/639062. M. Rafatullah is grateful to the Universitii Sains Malaysia for providing assistance under the Incentive Grant Scheme and research facilities.