African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (16), pp. 1483-1487, 17 August 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Industrial wastewater treatment using natural material as adsorbent

Amuda O.S.* and Ibrahim A.O.

Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, 210001, Nigeria.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: omotayosharafdeen@yahoo.com. Tel: 2348034402907

Accepted 30 September, 2005

Attempts were made to compare the adsorption efficiency of coconut shell-based granular activated carbon with the adsorption efficiency of commercial carbon, Calgon carbon F-300, with respect to adsorption of organic matter from a beverage industrial wastewater. Freundlich adsorption isotherm was used to analyze the adsorption efficiencies of the two activated carbons. These studies indicate that acid-activated coconut shell carbon had higher adsorption for organic matter expressed as chemical oxygen demand, (COD), than barium chloride-activated coconut shell carbon and Calgon carbon (F-300) at all carbon dosages used. Thus, the potential for using agricultural waste (coconut shell) that litter our environment may be valuable resources for removal of organic matter from industrial wastewater.

Key words: Coconut shell, activated carbon, COD, beverage industrial wastewater.