Removal of disperse dye from aqueous solution using waste-derived activated carbon: optimization study

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Activated carbon is a key adsorbent for water purification.
• Rattan sawdust presents an underutilized biomass resource for adsorbent production.
• Disperse dyes pose environmental challenges in industrial wastewater.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine optimal preparation conditions for rattan sawdust activated carbon (RSAC).
• To evaluate RSAC's efficiency in removing C.I. Disperse Orange 30 (DO30) from aqueous solutions.
• To establish a predictive model for RSAC synthesis using response surface methodology.

Main Methods:

• Chemical activation of rattan sawdust using phosphoric acid (H3PO4).
• Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a central composite design.
• Investigated effects of activation temperature, time, and H3PO4:precursor ratio.

Main Results:

• Developed a quadratic model correlating preparation variables to DO30 removal and carbon yield.
• Identified key factors influencing RSAC performance via ANOVA.
• Determined optimal conditions: 470°C, 2h 14min, and 4.45 impregnation ratio.

Conclusions:

• Optimized RSAC preparation enhances disperse dye removal efficiency.
• RSM is effective for optimizing adsorbent synthesis parameters.
• Prepared RSAC shows promise for treating dye-contaminated wastewater.