An efficient cheap source of activated carbon as solid phases for extraction and removal of Congo Red from aqueous solutions

Abstract

The present study reported the preparation of solid phases from various available and cheap natural sources represented by activated carbon to remove the polluting dye Congo Red (CR). Activated carbon derived from the leaves of the Consocarpus plant (C/AC) and Ziziphus Spina-Christi plant (Z/AC) and Myrtus plant (M/AC) by chemical activation. The solid phases were diagnosed and examined using FTIR, FESE, and XRD. The results of the study indicated that the best amount for the solid phase was 0.25 g for the three solid phases used against dye, the optimal concentration of the CR was 100 mg L-1, and the optimum acidity function was equal to 5 with a volume of 25 mL, as the optimization experiments indicated that the best flow rate of the eluting solution was equal to 0.5 ml min-1. The elution processes were carried out using several solvents different in polarity and it was found that 8 mL of DMSO achieved the best percentage of recovery (%R). Also, the adsorption capacity based on the optimal conditions that were obtained by applying Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and qmax, according to the Langmuir model, was (21.74, 23.53, 22.17) mg g-1 for (Z/AC), (C/AC), and (M/AC) adsorbents, respectively.