Kinetics and isothermal evaluations of adsorptive desulfurization of dibenzothiophene over mixed bio-wastes derived activated carbon

ABSTRACT

An equivalent blend of date pits and olive stones (w/w) was employed as a low-cost precursor for activated carbon (AC) synthesis by the ZnCl2 activation method. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), surface area (BET), X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and the titration method were implemented in the diagnosis of the AC. The adsorptive action of the synthesized AC was inspected toward the desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The maximum % removal of DBT reached 92.86% under optimum conditions of 0.30 g of the AC, a contact period of 60 minutes, at 40°C, and 25 mL of 200 mg/L DBT solution. The adsorption data followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, while Freundlich isotherm model described best the adsorption data. The desulfurization study of the commercial gasoline through applying the best conditions gave a removal efficiency of 46.66% compared to 92.86% for the model gasoline. In conclusion, the present investigation presents a cheap and effective adsorbent for both model and commercial gasoline fuel desulfurization.

KEYWORDS:

• Bio-wastes derived activated carbon
• adsorptive desulfurization
• dbt
• adsorption isotherms and kinetics
• real and model gasoline

Acknowledgments

The support presented by Mosul University, College of Science, Chemistry Department is high acknowledged by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ali A. Hussein

Ali A. Hussein was born in Al-Qayarah city, Mosul, Iraq, in 1993. He awarded his B.Sc. from the Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mosul University, Mosul, Iraq, in 2017. He got his M.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry from Mosul Univerity, in 2021.

Abdelrahman B. Fadhil

Prof. Dr. Abdelrahman B. Fadhil was born in Mosul city, Iraq, in 1976. He got his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the College of Sciences, Mosul University, Iraq, in 1999. In 2001, he awarded his M.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry from Mosul University. He was awarded his Ph. D. in 2010 from Mosul University, Iraq. He joined the Chemistry Department's academic staff, in 2002. Now, he is a Professor of Petroleum and Alternative Fuels at the University of Mosul, College of Science, Chemistry Department.