Chemical oxygen demand removal by modified carbon with H2SO4 from oil palm fruit bunches

Abstract

The utilisation of biomass to be used as a promising material is essential to reduce environmental pollution. This study aims to determine the effect of adding a modifier to activated carbon from oil palm empty bunches. The material’s efficacy in reducing Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in the water environment was also conducted. In this research, the removal of COD was investigated using activated carbon from empty fruit bunches as a adsorbent with modification. The carbon synthesis of activated carbon was done by synthesising oil palm empty fruit bunches at 500 °C with activation using H3PO4 and surface modification with H2SO4. Modifying the activated carbon surface is expected to increase pores and clean the surface to optimise adsorption The activated and modified carbon were characterised using FTIR, SEM, XRD, and BET methods. The FTIR results show the absorption of functional groups indicating the presence of functional groups for C-H, O-H, C-O, C=C and C=O. The Boehm Titration method showed that total acid increased after modification. SEM analysis on samples shows that the sample surface is porous, and the number of pores produced is increasing. The XRD analysis result shows that the material revealed two broad diffractions at degree 2θ corresponding to the faces of porous carbon. The BET result showed that the material had a higher pore volume after the modification of activated carbon. The adsorption of modified carbon was higher than that of activated carbon. The optimum contact time for activated and modified activated carbon is 90 minutes and pH 2. The modified carbon from oil palm fruit bunches can reduce COD in a water environment.

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