Pore structure and adsorption performance of the activated carbons prepared from plum kernels

According to iodine number, amount of methylene blue adsorption, the BET sp ecific surface area, and the yield, the conditions for preparing activated carbons as adsorbents from plum kernels were optimized. The activation temp erature and time tested were in the ranges 750-900 degrees C and 1-4 h, res pectively. Adsorption isotherms of two commercial dyes and phenol from wate r on such activated carbons were measured at 30 degrees C. It was shown tha t the optimal activation temperature and time depended on the molar mass of the solutes, and all equilibrium isotherms could be fitted by the Langmuir equation. The experimental results indicated that the prepared activated c arbons were economically promising for adsorption removal of dyes and pheno l, in contrast to other commercial adsorbents. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.