ABSTRACT
This study assessed the potential of activated carbon produced from Chrysophyllum albidum (African star apple) seed shells to adsorb Pb and Ni ions from municipal wastewater. The seed was washed, dried, crushed and carbonized, thereafter activated using potassium hydroxide (KOH) for possible adsorption process. Batch adsorption technique was adopted to examine the effects of temperature, pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage and initial metal concentration on the adsorption of Pb and Ni ions from the wastewater at 25 ⁰C. The maximum adsorption capacity of pH was efficient at 6.0 due to presence of hydrogen ions around the binding sites. The maximum equilibrium was attained at contact time of 60 minutes for the both metal ions, as temperature levels was efficient at 40 ⁰C. The adsorption capacities of Chrysophyllum albidum seed shells slightly increased as initial metal ion concentration and adsorbent dosage decrease due to adsorbent driving force and availability in tandem to electrostatic interaction. The Scan electron microscope (SEM) showed the particulate arrangement, pore spaces, which implies that is has the capacity to adsorbed efficiently at designated adsorption concentration and dosage. The presence of alcohol (O-H), carbonyl (C=O), alkanes (-CH2– and -CH3) and amide (NH2) as revealed by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) confirms the potential mechanism of adsorption across different functional substrates. Hence, the Chrysophyllum albidum (African star apple) seed shells has the potential to be utilized as a low-cost, efficient and usable adsorbent substitute in the remediation of heavy metals contamination in wastewater
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