Preparation of activated carbons from bamboo and their adsorption abilities for dyes and phenol

Based on iodine number, adsorption capacity of methylene blue, the BET spec ific surface area, and the yield, the conditions for preparation of activat ed carbon as adsorbents from bamboo were optimized. The activation temperat ure and activation time tested were in the ranges 700 similar to 880 degree s C and 1 similar to 3 h, respectively. Equilibrium isotherms and rates for the adsorption of two dyes and phenol from aqueous solutions onto such act ivated carbons were measured at 30 degrees C. The equilibrium isotherms cou ld be fit by the Langmuir equation and the adsorption rates could be analyz ed by a plot of amounts of adsorption versus the square root of time. The p resent results showed that the activated carbons prepared in this work appe ared to be economically promising for the removal of dyes and phenol, compa red to other commercial adsorbents.