Effect of pH on Removal of Lead Using Plant-Based Surfactant Impregnated on Activated Carbon

Abstract

Modification of activated carbon using chemical surfactant is not eco sustainable because the chemical will have the potential to desorb into aqueous medium. Due to the environmental concerns, this research aims to investigate the usage of plant-based surfactant as a modifying agent onto the surface of activated carbon (AC) to be used in the removal of lead from aqueous solution. AC was impregnated with sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (SLSA), a plant based anionic surfactant at different concentrations. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to examine the percentage removal of lead and to identify the effect of pH on the adsorptive properties of SIAC. The results exhibited the enhancement in the adsorption of lead using modified AC with SLSA. It was found that SIAC at 25 mg/L has the highest lead removal which was 99%. The optimum concentration anionic surfactant obtained was used in parametric study effect of pH. The optimum pH was obtained at pH 6 as it indicated the highest removal of lead (84.92%). Excel software was used to fit the data using polynomial regression. R2 and adjusted R derived from the analysis were 0.9043 and 0.9522, respectively. As a result of the ANOVA study, it was shown that the mathematical formula can be utilised to forecast the removal of lead from aqueous solution.