Utilizing oil palm sterilization condensate as methylene blue adsorbent

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Palm oil mill effluent presents a significant waste management challenge.
• Oil condensate waste (OCW) is a problematic byproduct requiring sustainable disposal methods.
• Wastewater treatment often relies on adsorbents, necessitating novel and eco-friendly materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To convert oil condensate waste (OCW) into activated carbons (ACs).
• To evaluate the efficacy of OCW-derived ACs for dye removal from wastewater.
• To characterize the physicochemical properties and adsorption mechanisms of the synthesized ACs.

Main Methods:

• Chemical activation of OCW using sulfuric acid (CH) and zinc chloride (CZ).
• Comprehensive characterization of ACs' elemental composition, surface chemistry, and textural properties.
• Adsorption performance evaluation using isotherm and kinetic models (e.g., pseudo-second-order) and thermodynamic analysis.

Main Results:

• Synthesized ACs possess high specific surface areas (427.85–493.42 m²/g).
• Maximum adsorption capacities reached up to 230.5 mg/g for dye removal.
• The pseudo-second-order model best described the adsorption kinetics, indicating chemisorption.
• The adsorption process was found to be endothermic and spontaneous.

Conclusions:

• Activated carbons derived from oil condensate waste are efficient and sustainable adsorbents.
• OCW-based ACs offer a viable solution for managing industrial waste and treating contaminated wastewater.
• The study highlights the potential for valorizing waste materials in environmental remediation.