EVALUATION OF THE THERMOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL BY-PRODUCTS AND IN THE CARBON ADSORBENTS OBTAINED FROM THEM

The thermochemical decomposition of waste products from a coconut (Coc os nucifera L.), a nut (Juglans regia L.) an apricot (Armeniaca vulgar is L.), an almond (Amygdalus communis L. var amara DC.), a grape (Viti s vinifera L.) and a cherry (Prunus avium L.), as raw materials for pr oducing carbon adsorbents, was investigated by DTA and TG. The thermo- oxidative and decomposition processes resulting in increased number of oxygen-containing functional groups of phenolic and carbonyl type are responsible for the high adsorption capacities of the carbon adsorben ts. The thermochemical changes in adsorbents based on agricultural was tes are similar to those in commercial activated carbons. The adsorben ts derived from apricot stones have the highest overall thermal stabil ity.