Toward new benchmark adsorbents: preparation and characterization of activated carbon from argan nut shell for bisphenol A removal

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 25; no. 2; pp. 1869 - 1882
• Main Authors: Zbair, Mohamed, Ainassaari, Kaisu, Drif, Asmaa, Ojala, Satu, Bottlinger, Michael, Pirilä, Minna, Keiski, Riitta L., Bensitel, Mohammed, Brahmi, Rachid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bisphenol A; Catalysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Energy storage; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Phenols; Phosphoric acid; Physical characteristics; Regeneration; Research Article; Sodium; Sodium hydroxide; Surface chemistry; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Argan nut shell; Bisphenol A; Chemical activation; Adsorption; Activated carbon
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0634-6

The use of argan nut shell as a precursor for producing activated carbon was investigated in this work. Two activated carbons AC-HP and AC-Na were prepared from argan nut shell by chemical activation method using phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), respectively. Textural, morphological, and surface chemistry characteristics were studied by nitrogen physisorption, TGA, SEM, TXRF, FTIR, XRD, and by determining the pH PZC of the AC-HP. The adsorption experiments revealed that AC-HP was more efficient in adsorption of BPA due to high specific surface area (1372 m 2 /g) compared to AC-Na (798 m 2 /g). The obtained adsorption data of BPA on AC-HP correlated well with the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir isotherm (Qmax = 1250 mg/g at 293 K). The thermodynamic parameters (Δ G ° < 0, Δ H ° < 0, and Δ S ° < 0) indicate that adsorption of BPA on AC-HP was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The regeneration of AC-HP showed excellent results after 5 cycles (95–93%). This work does not only provide a potential way to use argan nut shell but also represents a sustainable approach to synthesize AC-HP, which might be an ideal material for various applications (energy storage, catalysis, and environmental remediation).