Abstract:
Water pollution by organic pollutants has been a source of major concern because they
tend to accumulate in the body to toxic levels [1]. P-Nitrophenol (PNP), has negative
effects on humans such as cancer, immune system suppression, and gastrointestinal [2].
Various technologies have been developed for its removal from the water such as
chemical precipitation, distillation, and solvent extraction but are expensive.
Adsorption became reliable and cheap method hence this study dealt with adsorption
equilibrium studies of p-Nitrophenol onto Macadamia nutshell in non-activated and
activated form [3]. The methods of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fouriertransform
infrared
analysis
(FT-IR)
were
utilized
for
characterization
in
this
study
and
results
further investigated on the optimization batch experiments. Initial PNP ions
increased with an increase in adsorption capacity between (5 – 60) mg/L, from (0.520.77)
mg/g
and
(2.38-3.14)
mg/g
for
the
unmodified
macadamia
nutshell
(UMNS)
and
modified
macadamia
nutshell
(MMNS)
respectively.
The
highest
PNP
ions
uptake
was
recorded
at
pH
4
and
the
sorbent
dosage
in
terms
of
PNP
percentage
removal
increased
from
67.53%,
to
87.97%
and
87.97%
to
94.22
%
with
increase
in
the
dose
of
0.05
g
and
0.2
g
at
fixed
PNP
concentration
for
both
the
UMNS
and
MMNS.
This
is
designated
to
a
bigger
number
of
active
adsorption
sites with greater availability for adsorption
process in the modified material. Adsorption equilibrium for the UMNS and MMNS
was attained after 30 minutes with an optimum dose of 0.1g. The presence of the
amides, hydroxyl, asymmetric and antisymmetric vibrations (C-H) and amines
functional groups was detected using FTIR which captured change in the pores and
functional groups on the material surface after modification. Surface structure and
morphology of the adsorbents was analyzed by the SEM. From the equilibrium models,
the sorption behaviour fitted well with and the Langmuir isotherm. The technique
proved to be remarkably efficient in the production of a newly developed activated
carbon that serves as an alternative to commercial carbon. I worked on non-activated
carbon and activated carbon, but the focus of our consideration is currently on activated
carbon.
