Utilization of Agricultural Waste in Treating Water Pollutants

Abstract

This study investigated the applicability of chemically (phosphoric acid) activated bagasse pith and date pits in the adsorption of water pollutants. The textural properties including porous parameters, monolayer equivalent surface area, total pore volumes, average pore radius, Methylene blue number and other physic-chemical characterization were investigated. The activated carbons were analyzed for moisture content, ash content. Ultimate analysis was done by using CHNS analyzer (Cairo University, Micro-analytical Center). To investigate the effect of phosphoric acid on the raw material, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermo gravimetric (DTG) recordings were determined. The adsorption of heavy metals as pollutants, including Co, Sr, Cu, Cs, Pb, Cd, Ni, Fe, Zn, was studied in a batch experiments. Comparison of date pits activated carbon with commercial activated carbon was done, and the results indicated that using of prepared activated carbon for removal of Co, Sr, Cu, Cs, Pb, Cd, Ni,  Fe, Zn was  more effective than commercial activated carbon.