Sorption kinetic study on the removal of phenol using fluted pumpkin and commercial activated carbon

Abstract

Batch adsorption experiments were performed to study the removal kinetics of phenol from aqueous solution using activated carbon derived from fluted pumpkin stem waste (FAC) and a commercial activated carbon (CAC). Optimum removal of 98.50% and 98.40% phenol was achieved at the equilibrium time of 60 mins for FAC and CAC respectively. The applicability of three kinetic models, the pseudo first, pseudo second order and Elovich models for the description of the experimental data was examined. The experimental data was most suitably analysed by the pseudo second order model with a high regression coefficients (R2) value for phenol on FAC and CAC as 0.987 and 0.980 respectively. The correlation coefficients followed the order pseudo second order > Elovich kinetic model > pseudo-first order. Fluted pumpkin is the largest consumed vegetable in the West African sub region and therefore, creates one of the major agro waste problems in Nigeria. Preliminary investigations showed that several tons of these waste are produced daily in market places around the country but scarcely useful and therefore create environmental nuisance. The results obtained could be useful for the application of agricultural wastes for phenol removal from industrial wastewater.