Methyl orange adsorption from aqueous solution by activated carbon: effect of acidic solution treatment

Activated carbon (AC) has been recognised one of the most popular and widely used adsorbent in waste water treatment throughout the world. AC was obtained from carbonaceous raw material, corn cob that normally through some process. The purpose for this study was to synthesize the activated carbon from corn cob using acidic solution treatment. The carbonization process was a process that change the raw corn cob to char involving 500°C for 2 hours. The char were gone to activation process by using chemical activating agent, H3P04 with different ratio composition. Samples or AC were characterized by different methods. The pore size of the ACCC were characterized using SEM and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were to analyse the phase identification while the functional group that present in the activated carbon from corn cob were detect by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). After that, the rate of dye removal using batch study was investigated in order to determine the amount of the dyes (MO) once the adsorbent (ACCC) was introduced to the adsorbate (MO). It can be concluded that the higher the ratio composition of the chemical activating agent the faster the amount of the adsorbate (MO) remove. The result was indicated that the activated carbon from corn cob can be employed as a low cost alternative in controlling wide range of sorption processes.