Scavenging malachite green dye from aqueous solution using durian peel based activated carbon

Abstract

Physiochemical activation consists of heat treatment coupling with CO2 gasification and KOH chemical treatment were applied in preparing durian peel based activated carbon (DPAC) to remove basic dye, malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution. Several parameters namely, effect of initial MG concentration as well as contact time, solution temperature and initial solution pH were carried out in this study. Characterization study revealed that DPAC pose high BET surface area which is 886.31 m2/g and its surface was found to be mesoporous in nature with heterogeneous type of pore structures. Eight isotherms and four kinetic models were utilized and it was revealed that the adsorpttion system followed Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-first order (PFO) kinetic model. Mechanism study using intraparticle diffusion and Boyd plot confirmed that adsorption of MG onto DPAC was controlled by the film-diffusion mechanism. Thermodynamic study indicated that the adsorption system was exothermic, spontaneous, feasible and governed by physical-type of adsorption.