Abstract

Adsorption of acid dyes of the monoazo and anthraquinone class from aqueous solutions using high surface area cassava peel-based activated carbon

Author(s): Olugbenga Solomon Bello,#

Cassava is one of the most important food sources in Nigeria. Cassava peel (CP) is an agricultural waste from food and starch processing industries. In this study, CPwas used as a precursor for activated carbon preparation. Activated carbons were prepared from CP using both physical and chemical activation methods; they were characterized using Brunauer- Emmett Teller (BET), Fourier TransformInfrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and proximate analyses respectively. Their efficiencies were tested in the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions. The two activated carbons were efficient in the adsorption of eight, structurally related, acid dyes of the monoazo and anthraquinone class in aqueous solutions; the CP activated with chemical method showed higher percentage removal efficiencies (90-100%) than the physically activated one (74-89%).