Surface Functional Group of Maize Cob as Low Cost Adsorbents

Instead of using commercial activated carbon, researchers have worked on inexpensive materials, such as agricultural by-products, which have high adsorption capacity and are locally available. The objective of this investigation was to characterize maize cob (MC) in terms of its surface chemistry. These properties are directly related to the effectiveness of MCs for using them as low-cost adsorbents; also these properties are important to the their commercial utilization. The infrared (IR) spectrum of lignocellulosic material confirms the presence of (O-H) groups, acetal, carboxylic groups and ether linkages (C-O-C), which are responsible for creating a polar environment in the agro-residues matrix. Based on the results of the present study, one could conclude that MC being a natural adsorbent might be a suitable local alternative for elimination of heavy metal ions and basic dyestuffs from aqueous solutions.