ADSORPTION OF PHENOL FROM AQUEOUS MEDIA BY AN AGRO-WASTE (HEMIDESMUS INDICUS) BASED ACTIVATED CARBON

Abstract. The adsorption of phenol by an agro-waste based activated carbon prepared from the root residue of Hemidesmus Indicus (HIC) was investigated to assess its possible use as adsorbent. The effect of various factors, namely, pH, initial adsorbate concentration, adsorbent dosage and contact time were studied to identify adsorption capacity of HIC. The results were compared to that obtained from adsorption of phenol by commercial activated carbon (CAC). Adsorption data were modeled with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The kinetic models were also applied for the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intra-particle diffusion and pore diffusion coefficients. Although HIC and CAC showed much similar isotherm models and kinetics, yet HIC was found to show much higher boundary layer effect and pore-diffusion coefficients, in relation to CAC