Investigation of adsorption properties of activated carbon obtained from biomass

In this study, activated carbon was produced using chemical activation method from wheat bran with zinc chloride as the chemical agent, at different carbonization temperatures (400, 500, and 600 °C) and different impregnation ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 3:1). The highest surface area was obtained at 500 °C carbonization temperature with a 2:1 impregnation ratio, reaching 1487 m2 /g. Characterization studies of wheat bran were conducted to investigate the effects of different parameters on the produced activated carbon. The structural properties of the activated carbon were determined through SEM, BET, and FTIR analyses. The activated carbon produced under optimum conditions was utilized for the removal of Deep red dye from aqueous solutions, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 95.238 mg/g under pH 2.17, 24-hour contact time, and 45 °C temperature. Adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics were analyzed to evaluate the adsorption studies. This research holds significant importance in the utilization and characterization of activated carbon derived from biomass waste for the removal of dye pollutants in wastewater treatment.