Carbon prepared fromRicinus CommunisPericarp (RCP) was used to remove a crystal violet dye from aqueous solution by an adsorption technique under varying conditions of agitation time, dye concentration, adsorbent dose and pH. Adsorption is influenced by pH, dye concentration, carbon concentration and contact time. Equilibrium was attained with in 60 min. Adsorption followed both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption capacity was found to be 48.0 mg/g at an initial pH of 6.8±0.2 for the particle size of 125–250 μm.

Activated carbon prepared from Ricinus communis Pericarp was used to remove Ni(II) from aqueous solution by adsorption. Batch mode adsorption experiments are carried out by varying contact time, metal-ion concentration, carbon concentration and pH to assess kinetic and equilibrium parameters. The adsorption data were modeled by using both Langmuir and Freundlich classical adsorption isotherms. The adsorption capacity (Qo) calculated from the Langmuir isotherm was 31.15 mg/g of activated carbon at initial pH of 5.0±0.2 for the particle size 125-250 µm.

The preparation of activated carbon (AC) from sago industry waste is a promising way to produce a useful adsorbent for Cu(II) removal, as well as dispose of sago industry waste. The AC was prepared using sago industry waste with H2SO4and (NH4)2S2O8and physico-chemical properties of AC were investigated. The specific surface area of the activated carbon was determined and its properties studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Adsorptive removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution onto AC prepared from sago industry waste has been studied under varying conditions of agitation time, metal ion concentration, adsorbent dose and pH to assess the kinetic and equilibrium parameters. Adsorption equilibrium was obtained in 60min for 20 to 50mg/L of Cu(II) concentrations. The Langmuir and Freundlich equilibrium isotherm models were found to provide an excellent fitting of the adsorption data. In Freundlich equilibrium isotherm, the RL values obtained were in the range of 0 to 1 (0.043 to 0.31) for Cu(II) concentration of 10 to 100mg/L, which indicates favorable adsorption of Cu(II) onto Sago waste carbon. The adsorption capacity of Cu(II) (Qo) obtained from the Langmuir equilibrium isotherm model was found to be 32.467 mg/g at pH 4 ± 0.2 for the particle size range of 125–250u. The percent removal increased with an increase in pH from 2 to 4. This adsorbent was found to be effective and economically attractive.

Activated carbon prepared from silk cotton hull (SCH) was used for the adsorptive removal of Pb(II) ion from aqueous solution. The raw material used for the preparation of activated carbon is the waste of agricultural product; the production of this carbon is expected to be economically feasible. Parameters such as agitation time, metal ion concentration, adsorbent dose, pH and Particle size were studied. Adsorption equilibrium was reached within 80 min for 10, 20, 30 and 40mg/l of Pb(II) ion with 50mg of carbon per ml of solution. Adsorption parameters were determined using both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption efficiency reached 100% for 20, 30 and 40mg/l of Pb(II) ion with 120, 140 and 150mg of carbon. Pb(II) ion removal increased as the pH increased from 2 to 5 and remains constant up to pH 10. Desorption studies were also carried out with dilute hydrochloric acid to know the mechanism of adsorption. Quantitative desorption of Pb(II) ion from carbon indicates that adsorption of metal ion is by ion-exchange. Efficiency of the adsorption of SCH was also studied with Pb containing industrial wastewater by varying pH and carbon concentration.