Activated carbon from bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) waste using CO2 as activating agent for adsorption of methylene blue and phenol

Abstract

Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) wastes were used as raw material for producing activated carbon. The materials were collected and turned into activated carbons by carbonization (500 °C, 1.67 °C.min-1, 60 min) and activation (800 °C, 10 °C.min-1, 60 min) processes with CO2 (100 mL.min-1). The obtained material (CO2 AC) was characterized by its yield, elemental analysis, ash content, surface area (SBET), Boehm titration method, scanning electron microscopy and used as adsorbent for removing the methylene blue and phenol contaminants. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were selected for understanding the adsorption process. CO2 AC produced showed yield of 21.6%, carbon content of 82.13% and SBET of 856.78 m2.g-1, presenting rapid removal and high adsorption capacity for methylene blue (298.82 mg.g-1) and phenol (558.29 mg.g-1).