Optimization study of heavy metal removal by activated carbon from oil palm trunk (E.Guineensis) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Pollution cause by the heavy metal has become serious threat to all living things in the environmental nowadays. The removal of excessive heavy metal from natural resources and industries waste products are significant due to its toxicity which can lead to severe public health. Activated carbon from agriculture waste based which is oil palm trunk has been used as low cost adsorbent and eco-friendly biosorbent in order for removal heavy metal. The batch experimental studies were using response surface methodology (RSM) software and experimental design matrix according to Box – Behnken. In this studies, the experimental was performed to investigate the optimum condition for removal heavy metal (zinc). Three parameter were selected in this studies involving initial concentration (ppm), adsorbent dosage (g) and temperature (⁰C). The optimal conditions for removal heavy metal that obtained from the experimental studies were at 100.00ppm initial of concentration, 0.50g of adsorbent dosage and temperature at 30⁰C respectively with maximal removal 52.62. The optimal condition of removal heavy metal was conducted to confirm the validation of the model and the results shows the maximum error of ±4% from estimate results. Initial concentration was the dominant parameter and followed by temperature in this studies. The least influential parameter among those three parameters was adsorbent dosage. SEM, EDX and FTIR analysis were used for characterization the activated carbon of oil palm trunk. The studies on removal heavy metal can be used to analyze in development of technology that can relief the organization in discard industrial effluent