Adsorption Equilibrium, Physicochemical Parameters and Colour Deactivation Effects of Activated Carbon for Dye for Waste Water Treatment

Effluents from dye and dyeing industries constitute serious environmental threat and attracting serious attention. Activated carbon prepared from guinea corn husk and maize cobs waste materials was used as a precursor to prepare activated carbon. Variable ratios of the constituent ashes ( 1:1, 1:3 and 3:1) were prepared. The husk and cobs were ashed in a murfle furnace at 400-500oC for 2.5 h. Acid activation was carried out by washing with HCl (1M) after which it was characterized using XRF which revealed (in variable proportions) the presence of SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 as dominant oxides in the ashes. Waste water decolourization efficiency of the adsorbents was tested using dye waste water at same contact time using variable absorbent dosage. Higher moisture (96.80±0.56), Ash (12.90±0.35), pH (6.3±0.17), Conductivity (208±1.34) and Bulk density (12.27±0.61) were obtained for guinea corn husk. The best clearity was obtained after batch adsorption experiments at 1:1 which gave the highest adsorption at equilibrium (Qe) of 28.55 compared to 12.750 and 10.900 obtained for 1;3 and 3:1 respectively