Improved Adsorption of the Toxic Herbicide Diuron Using Activated Carbon Obtained from Residual Cassava Biomass (Manihot esculenta)

Abstract

The production and consumption of cassava (Manihot esculenta) occur in several places worldwide, producing large volumes of waste, mostly in the form of bark. This study sought to bring a new purpose to this biomass through producing activated carbon to use as an adsorbent to remove the herbicide Diuron from water. It was observed that the carbon contains the functional groups of methyl, carbonyl, and hydroxyl in a strongly amorphous structure. The activated carbon had a surface area of 613.7 m2 g−1, a pore volume of 0.337 cm3 g−1, and a pore diameter of 1.18 nm. The Freundlich model was found to best describe the experimental data. It was observed that an increase in temperature favored adsorption, reaching a maximum experimental capacity of 222 mg g−1 at 328 K. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption was spontaneous, favorable, and endothermic. The enthalpy of adsorption magnitude was consistent with physical adsorption. Equilibrium was attained within 120 min. The linear driving force (LDF) model provided a strong statistical match to the kinetic curves. Diffusivity (Ds) and the model coefficient (KLDF) both increased with a rise in herbicide concentration. The adsorbent removed up to 68% of pollutants in a simulated effluent containing different herbicides. Activated carbon with zinc chloride (ZnCl2), produced from leftover cassava husks, was shown to be a viable alternative as an adsorbent for the treatment of effluents containing not only the herbicide Diuron but also a mixture of other herbicides.

Production of adsorbent for removal of propranolol hydrochloride: Use of residues from Bactris guineensis fruit palm with economically exploitable potential from the Colombian Caribbean

“…This result agrees with other research using ZnCl2 in proportions of 1:1. The biomasses used in this study were: jabuticaba residues [44], açai residues [45], fruits of the invasive species Hovenia dulcis [46] and cassava peels [47]. When using KOH as an activating agent, the authors reported a yield close to 64% [48].…”

The Synthesis and Evaluation of Porous Carbon Material from Corozo Fruit (Bactris guineensis) for Efficient Propranolol Hydrochloride Adsorption

“…The resulting carbonaceous skeleton, composed mainly of carbon, exhibited a yield of approximately 27%, consistent with previous studies using a 1:1 proportion of ZnCl 2 . The four biomasses examined in this investigation were Jabuticaba residues [ 34 ], açai residues [ 35 ], Hovenia dulcis fruits [ 27 ], and cassava peels [ 36 ]. The authors reported a yield of about 64 % when KOH was used as the activating agent [ 37 ].…”

Biomass‐Derived Carbon Materials for the Adsorption of Organic Pollutants

“…ln q e = ln K F + (1∕n) ln C e (6) q e : adsorption capacity at equilibrium, in mg g −1 ; C e : the concentration of adsorbate at equilibrium, in mg L −1 ; K F and n are Freundlich parameters related to adsorption capacity and adsorption strength.…”

“…[1,2] The resulting types of pollutants are also increasing, such as volatile organic compounds, dyes and other organic pollutants produced by various industries, like chemical industry, textile industry and pharmaceutical industry. [3][4][5][6] Most of these pollutants are irritant and toxic, posing a serious threat to human life and ecological environment. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop new materials and methods to effectively reduce or remove these organic pollutants.…”