Mechanism of Copper (II) Removal from Aqueous Solution Using Activated Carbon Prepared from Different Agricultural Materials

Uptake of copper (II) from aqueous solution using activated carbons prepared from nipa palm nut (NPN), palmyra palm nut (PPN), oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), oil palm fiber (OPF), and oil palm shell (OPS) was studied. Chemical activation method was adopted in preparing the activated carbon. The effects of various parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial ion concentration and adsorbent particle size were investigated in order to determine the adsorption performance of the adsorbents. It was found that the amount of Cu 2+ adsorbed increased with increase in adsorbent dosage, and contact time and decreased with increase in particle size and initial ion concentration. The optimum pH of 6 was obtained for all the adsorbents. The result of adsorption studies showed that activated carbons produced from NPN and PPN are the most efficient adsorbents for the removal of Cu 2+ from aqueous solutions while EFB, OPF and OPS were found to be poor adsorbents for the removal of the adsorbate. Adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin- Radushkevich equations. Equilibrium data fitted well to the Freundlich, Langmuir and Tempkin models. The equilibrium data were best described by Freundlich model.