The prospective of maize cob powder (MCP) as an effective adsorbent for the removal of malachite green (MG) and congo red (CR) dyes from aqueous solution was investigated. The presence of functional groups and pores on maize cob powder were confirmed by FTIR and SEM analysis. Batch adsorption studies were conducted and various parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, pH and temperature were examined to observe their effects in the dyes adsorption process. The optimum conditions for the adsorption of MG and CR onto the adsorbent (MCP) was found to be: contact time (60mins), pH (10.0) and temperature (303 K), adsorbent dose (1 g) for an initial MG dye concentration of 50 mg/L and contact time (80mins), pH (2.0) and temperature (343 K) for an initial CR dye concentration of 50 mg/L and adsorbent dose 1.0 g respectively. The experimental equilibrium adsorption data fitted best and well to the Freundlich isotherm model for CR dye adsorption and Langmuir Isotherm for MG adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 13.02 mg/g and 9.41 mg/g for the adsorption of MG and CR dyes respectively. The kinetic data conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic quantities such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG0), enthalpy (ΔH0) and entropy (ΔS0) were evaluated and the negative values of ΔG0, ΔH0 and ΔS0 obtained indicated the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the MG adsorption process while positive enthalpy (ΔH0) indicated an endothermic nature of CR adsorption process.

Corrosion is an enormous challenge in all sectors of the economy, especially to those working with metals. The research on the adsorption and inhibition analysis of aconitine alkaloid (ACA) and tubocurarine alkaloid (TBA) as eco-friendly inhibitors of pitting corrosion in ASTM – A47 low carbon steel in HCl acid was carried out under the following experimental methods: gravimetric method, gasometric method, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization, and scanning electron microscopy. Results revealed good inhibitors as inhibition efficiencies were recorded at 98.8% and 91.2% at a maximum inhibitor concentration of 1500 ppm for tubocurarine and aconitine alkaloids, respectively. The inhibition efficiency was found to increase with increasing inhibitor concentrations indicating a strong binding between inhibitor molecules and ASTM – A47 low carbon steel in HCl acid. Electrochemical data strongly supported the efficacy of both inhibitors as earlier presented by the chemical methods as a trend in values of charge transfer resistance, double layer capacitance, corrosion potential, and corrosion current density were in accordance with standards for a good inhibitor. The inhibitors were seen to be spontaneous, stabled, endothermic and physically adsorbed. Adsorption of the inhibitors on metal surface obeyed Langmuir, El-Awady, Freundlich, and Temkin adsorption isotherm as regression values were approximately unity.

The prospective of maize cob powder (MCP) as an effective adsorbent for the removal of malachite green (MG) and congo red (CR) dyes from aqueous solution was investigated. The presence of functional groups and pores on maize cob powder were confirmed by FTIR and SEM analysis. Batch adsorption studies were conducted and various parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, pH and temperature were examined to observe their effects in the dyes adsorption process. The optimum conditions for the adsorption of MG and CR onto the adsorbent (MCP) was found to be: contact time (60mins), pH (10.0) and temperature (303 K), adsorbent dose (1 g) for an initial MG dye concentration of 50 mg/L and contact time (80mins), pH (2.0) and temperature (343 K) for an initial CR dye concentration of 50 mg/L and adsorbent dose 1.0 g respectively. The experimental equilibrium adsorption data fitted best and well to the Freundlich isotherm model for CR dye adsorption and Langmuir Isotherm for MG adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 13.02 mg/g and 9.41 mg/g for the adsorption of MG and CR dyes respectively. The kinetic data conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic quantities such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG0), enthalpy (ΔH0) and entropy (ΔS0) were evaluated and the negative values of ΔG0, ΔH0 and ΔS0 obtained indicated the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the MG adsorption process while positive enthalpy (ΔH0) indicated an endothermic nature of CR adsorption process.