Comparison of the Adsorptive Capacity of Raw Materials in Making Activated Carbon Filter for Purification of Polluted Water for Drinking

A comparative work was carried out to ascertain adsorptive capacity of raw materials in making activated carbon filter for purification of polluted water for drinking. Three raw materials were chosen for this work, they are palm kernel shells, coconut shells and bamboo. The raw materials were carbonized and then activated in a designed and constructed anaerobic furnace at a temperature of 1000oC in the presence of steam to get a high mechanical resistance carbon. The adsorptive properties determined for the activated carbon of the raw materials are hardness, ash content, apparent density, porosity, iodine value and methylene blue. To test for the adsorptive capacity of the materials, muddy water from a pond in an industrial area where effluents are discharged was collected and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. There after the muddy water was filtered with the activated carbon made from the raw materials. The filtrated water was further subjected to analysis. Results of Laboratory-Scale experiments and assessment of the entire process showed palm kernel shells activated carbon to be the most effective for water purification followed by coconut shell and bamboo respectively