Activated charcoal is used in water, gold and gas
purification, metal extraction, medicine, sewage treatment, filters in
compressed air, air filters in gas masks and respirators, and many other
applications. Due to its high demand, alternative means of production apart
from non-renewable sources, is time honoured. In view of these facts, activated
charcoal was prepared from rice husk, an agricultural waste, by pyrolysis and
chemical activation. The optimum systematic preparation conditions such as the
effects of impregnation ratio, concentration, temperature and pyrolysis
temperature and time on the efficiency of the product were investigated. The
chemically activated charcoal was characterized by measuring porosity, bulk
density, pore volume and size, surface area, iodine number, percentage yield,
ash and moisture contents. The adsorbent was further characterized by
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The
performance of activated charcoal prepared as adsorbent of pollutants in
wastewater was tested using standard analytical methods. Overall, the results
revealed that there was a general significant (p<0.05) decrease in the total
hardness, alkanility, chemical oxygen
demand, biological oxygen demand, nitrate, total dissolved solid, total
suspended solid, total solid, sulphate, nitrate, chloride, and heavy metals in
rice husk acivated charcoal treated filtrate when compared to the untreated.
Although, values of physicochemical parameters obtained in filtrate fromthe
rice husk-based activated charcoal were generally lower than that of the
commercial (control), the differences were not statistically significant
(p>0.05). The results indicated that wastewater treated with the adsorbent
were below the recommendations of international standards for maximum limits of
effluent to be discharged into sewage, stream and drinking water. The study
therefore recommends the use of rice husk-based activated charcoal as an
efficient and environmental friendly wastewater treament option.
Author(s) Details
Lawrence
Olusegun Ajala Author(s) Details
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Nigeria.
Valentine Ifenna Onwukeme
Department of Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
Chihurumnanya Ola Oji
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Nigeria.
Maria-Regina Chekwube Ejiagha
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Nigeria
View Book :- http://bp.bookpi.org/index.php/bpi/catalog/book/210
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