Open AccessProcess Optimization of High Surface Area Activated Carbon Prepared from Cucumis Melo by H3PO4 Activation for the Removal of Cationic and Anionic Dyes Using Full Factorial Design
Author(s) -
Aziz El Kassimi,
Youness Achour,
Mamoune El Himri,
My Rachid Laamari,
Mohammadine El Haddad
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
biointerface research in applied chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.216
H-Index - 11
ISSN - 2069-5837
DOI - 10.33263/briac115.1266212679
Subject(s) - activated carbon , cationic polymerization , methylene blue , cucumis , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , factorial experiment , aqueous solution , response surface methodology , organic chemistry , adsorption , chromatography , catalysis , botany , mathematics , statistics , photocatalysis , biology
In this study, Chemical activation was used to prepare a low-cost activated carbon (AC) from agricultural waste material: Cucumis melo. It was used as a green biosorbent for the removal of cationic and anionic dyes from aqueous solutions (Methylene blue (MB) and Acid orange 7 (AO7)).A full factorial 24 experimental design was used to optimize the preparation conditions. The factors and levels included are activation temperature (300 and 500ºC), activation time (1 and 3 h), H3PO4 concentration (1.5 and 2.5 mol/L), and contact time (60 and 90 min). The surface area of the activated carbons and high removal efficiency of MB and AO7 was chosen as a measure of the optimization. The activated carbon prepared at 500 °C, for 3 hours with an H3PO4 concentration of 2.5 mol/L and a contact time of 90 min, have the largest specific surface area (475 m2/g) and the percentage of discoloration of methylene blue (99.4%). Furthermore, the greater value of AO7 removal (94.20%) was obtained at 3h - activation time, 500°C - activation temperature, 1.5 mol/L - H3PO4 concentration with a 90 min contact time.