Removal of Methylene Blue in Water by Adsorption
on Activated Carbon Prepared from Moringa oleifera
(Malunggay) Husks
Lazaro, Jacob Angelo Z., Samson, Nico Angelo V., Tan, Wilson Y. and
Dimaano, Maria Natalia R.
ABSTRACT
Seed Husks of Moringa oleifera (Malunggay), which are considered as agricultural wastes, were used to prepare activated
carbon.Two kinds of activated carbon were prepared, the untreated activated carbon and the treated activated carbon using 85%
phosphoric acid. The best conditions for activated carbon from Moringa oleifera husks based on the linear correlation of the
Freundlich isotherm is the activated carbon treated with phosphoric acid at 500 oC and 3 hours. The prepared activated carbon
was characterized with the aid of the Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM). The analysis showed varying pore diameters of 1.88
micrometer up to 10.6 micrometer. The treated Moringa activated carbon gave a maximum adsorption capacity of 126.5823 mg/g
using the Langmuir Isotherm model.
INTRODUCTION
Wastewater from industries like textile, printing,
cosmetics and papermaking are the major contributors of
colored effluents [1]. The colors discharged from these
industries pose certain hazards and environmental problems.
One of the most common dyes found in textile
wastewaters is the methylene blue dye. It causes eye burns,
which may be responsible for permanent injury to the eyes of
humans and animals.
Several methods have been employed for treatment of
dyes in wastewater. In all these methods, adsorption has
been found to be economically favorable and technically
easier to operate [2].
Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal or
activated coal, is a form of carbon that has been processed to
make it extremely porous providing a very large surface area
for enhanced adsorption or chemical reactions. Activated
carbons are extremely versatile adsorbents of major industrial
significance.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Pretreatment
Chemical Activation with 85% by weight H3PO4 (Aishite
Trading) with 1:1 Husk to Acid Ratio
o o
Carbonization at 500 C and 600 C with 2 and 3 hours of
carbonization time
Washed sequentially with 0.5N Merck HCl, hot water and cold
distilled water for final washing.
Drying (Proctor & Schwartz Inc. K8697D Vacuum Dryer at
100oC)
Preparation of Methylene Blue Solution
Adsoprtion Experiment
Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of the Procedure
Figure 2. Treated and Untreated Activated Carbon from
Moringa oleifera (Malunggay) seed husks
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
The results are analyzed within the context of two
common adsorption models; the Langmuir and Freundlich
adsorption isotherms. Langmuir Isotherm is based on four
assumptions. First, that the surface of the adsorbent is
uniform. Second, Adsorbed molecules do not interact. Third,
all adsorption occurs through the same mechanism and
assumes that at the maximum adsorption, only a monolayer is
formed. Molecules of adsorbate do not deposit on other,
already adsorbed, molecules of adsorbate. They are only
deposited/adsorbed on surface of the adsorbent. Freundlich
isotherm model assumes heterogeneous surface energies.
Table 1 shows that the experimental data is applicable to
both isotherms since the value of RL and and 1/n is between 0
and 1 respectively, indicating that they are favorable for
adsorption. Freundlich isotherm yields better fit than the
Langmuir Isotherm since the correlation factor (R2=.9981) is
closer to 1.
Table 1. Langmuir and Freundlich constants for optimized
activated carbon
Treated Activated Carbon
Temperature: 500oC Values
Time: 3hours
Qo 126.5823 mg/g
Langmuir Isotherm b 0.018/mg
R2 0.9561
RL 0.156
1/n 0.9176
Freundlich Isotherm KF 2.301 mg/g (L/mg)n
R2 0.9981
Figure 4a-b shows the Scanned Electron Micrographs of the
activated carbon with magnification of 3,500x. The treated
activated carbon shows larger pore size diameter compared
to the untreated activated carbon.
Figure 4a-4b. Treated and Untreated activated carbon at
500oC for 3 hours.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The activated carbon from Moringa oleifera (Malunggay)
husks can be considered a good adsorbent for the removal of
methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions. The treated
activated carbon carbonized at 500oC for 3 hours gave a
maximum adsorptive capacity (Qo) of 126.5823 mg methylene
blue per gram of activated carbon.
The study shows that Moring oleifera husks could
provide an economical treatment for methylene blue dye
wastewater, considering that the best conditions for the
production of high adsorption capacity was applied. It is
recommended to use other kinetic models and chemical
agents as well as conducting proximate analysis using the
same raw material.
REFERENCES
[1] Yener, J.; Kopac, T.; Dogu, G.; Dogu, T. (2006). J.
Colloid Interface Sci., 294, pp.255–264
[2] Senthilkumaar,S. et al (2005). Adsorption of methylene
blue onto jute fiber carbon: kinetics and equilibrium studies.
Journal of Colloid Interface Science, pp.284:78-82.