A Study on the Adsorption of 2,4,6, Trichlorophenol by Palm Kernel Cake

In this study, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) adsorption on palm kernel cake (PKC) was examined. The effects of the initial concentration, agitation time, solution temperature and pH on TCP adsorption were examined in batch adsorption studies. The adsorption capacity was positively related to the initial concentration and agitation time and negatively related to the pH and solution temperature. Experimental data indicated that the Langmuir isotherm best fits the data (maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 22.22 mg/g at 30 °C). The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Analysis of various thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption was non-spontaneous and exothermic, whereas the Elovich equation and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model determined that chemisorption was the rate-controlling step.