Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 28 No 6 (2024): 1359 - 1373

ACTIVATED CARBON/IRON OXIDE COMPOSITES WITH DIFFERENT WEIGHT RATIOS FOR ACID ORANGE 7 REMOVAL

(Komposit Karbon Teraktif/Ferum Oksida dengan Nisbah Berat yang Berbeza untuk Penyingkiran Asid Oren 7)

Sarmila Gunasekaran, Audrey Jia Xin Liu, and Si Ling Ng^*

School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia.

^*Corresponding author: slng@usm.my

Received: 26 June 2024; Accepted: 1 October 2024; Published: 29 December 2024

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of various weight ratios of activated carbon/iron oxide composite (AC/Fe_xO_y), specifically AC and Fe_xO_y in 1:1, 3:1, and 5:1, in removing acid orange 7 (AO7). The AC/Fe_xO_y composites were synthesized by modifying activated carbon with iron oxide via a co-precipitation method, where AC was mixed with iron salts and precipitated using NaOH to form the composites. Optimal contact times were 4, 6, and 4 h for weight ratio at 1:1, 3:1, and 5:1, respectively. The optimal adsorbent dosage was 0.40 g. The adsorption efficiency of AC/Fe_xO_y in the pH range of 2 to 12 was comparable, with the adsorption percentage laid between 98 and 100%. The Langmuir isotherm model effectively characterized the equilibrium AO7 adsorption onto AC/Fe_xO_y, indicating a monolayer adsorption. The adsorption kinetics of AO7 onto AC/Fe_xO_y exhibited the best fit with the pseudo-second-order model, denoting the involvement of chemisorption. AC exhibited the highest rate constant of 1.699×10^-3 g/mg.min. The intraparticle diffusion model suggested that intraparticle diffusion was not the only dominating mechanism of AO7 adsorption onto AC/Fe_xO_y. In this study, while the incorporation of iron oxide into AC did not improve its adsorption efficiency for removing AO7, the modification did introduce a significant practical advantage of easy separation. Among the AC/Fe_xO_y composites studied, the 1:1 AC/Fe_xO_y was the most favourable alternative for the adsorption of AO7.

Keywords: azo dye, activated carbon/iron oxide composite, adsorption, adsorbent

Abstrak

Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk menyiasat keberkesanan komposit karbon teraktif/oksida ferum (AC/ Fe_xO_y) dengan nisbah berat yang berbeza, iaitu AC dan Fe_xO_y dalam 1:1, 3:1, dan 5:1, untuk menyingkirkan asid oren 7 (AO7). Komposit AC/Fe_xO_y telah disintesis dengan mengubah suai karbon teraktif dengan oksida besi melalui kaedah pemendakan bersama, di mana karbon teraktif dicampur dengan garam besi dan dimendakkan menggunakan NaOH untuk membentuk komposit. Suspensi yang terhasil ditapis, dibilas dan dikeringkan untuk mendapatkan produk akhir. Masa sentuhan optimum adalah 4, 6, dan 4 jam masing-masing bagi nisbah berat 1:1, 3:1, dan 5:1. Dos optimum penjerap adalah 0.40 g. Kecekapan penjerapan AC/Fe_xO_y dalam julat pH 2 hingga 12 adalah sebanding, dengan peratusan penyerapan antara 98 hingga 100%. Model Langmuir berjaya menghuraikan penjerapan AO7 ke atas AC/ Fe_xO_y, menunjukkan proses penjerapan ekalapisan. Kinetik penjerapan AO7 ke atas AC/Fe_xO_y menunjukkan keserasisn terbaik dengan model tertib pseudo kedua, menandakan penglibatan penjerapan kimia. AC menunjukkan pemalar kadar tertinggi sebanyak 1.699×10^-3 g/mg.min. Hasil penyesuaian model difusi intrazarah mencadangkan difusi intrazarah bukan mekanisme dominan bagi penjerapan AO7 ke atas AC/Fe_xO_y. Dalam kajian ini, walaupun penggabungan oksida ferum ke dalam AC tidak meningkatkan kecekapan penjerapannya untuk menyingkirkan AO7, pengubahsuaian ini memperkenalkan kelebihan praktikal yang signifikan iaitu pemishaan yang mudah. Antara komposi AC/Fe_xO_y yang dikaji, 1:1 AC/Fe_xO_y adalah alternatif yang paling terbaik untuk penjerapan AO7.

Kata kunci: pewarna azo, komposit karbon teraktif/ferum oksida, penjerapan, penjerap

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