The present work demonstrates the adsorption of hydroquinone (HQ) and resorcinol (R) by activated carbon based on shea residue (Vitellaria paradoxa). The adsorbent was prepared chemically by impregnation with sulfuric acid and coded by the acronym CAK-S. The central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the main factors that influence the adsorption of HQ or R by activated carbon such as the initial concentration, the pH of the solution, the contact time, and the mass of the carbon on the expected response, which is the adsorbed quantity of the target pollutants. The optimal conditions obtained from the statistical analysis are as follows: concentration of 158 mg/L, pH 3, time of 120 min, and mass of 50 mg for the adsorption of HQ and concentration of 180 mg/L, pH 3, time of 86 min, and mass of 118 mg for the adsorption of R. The maximum quantities of HQ and R adsorbed are 45.02 mg/g and 33.65 mg/g, respectively. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a good relationship between the variables involved with the coefficients of determination R2 = 98.69% for the adsorption of hydroquinone and R2 = 90.55% for that of resorcinol, which means that the model is more suitable to express the adsorbed amount according to the four optimized parameters. The experimental data obtained under these optimal conditions were simulated with two and three parameter nonlinear isotherm models as well as kinetic models. The results show that Elovich kinetic model better describes the adsorption of HQ and R, indicating chemisorption with heterogeneous active sites on the surface of CAK-S. Temkin’s two-parameter model shows that adsorption occurs on heterogeneous surfaces with a nonuniform adsorption energy distribution at the surface and Sips’s three-parameter model confirms the heterogeneity of the surface with a localized adsorption of HQ or R by CAK-S. The thermodynamics study has shown that the adsorption is endothermic ( Δ H 0   > 0 ) and spontaneous ( Δ G 0 < 0 ).

An amperometric sensor was developed by depositing a film coating of hydroxyapatite (HA)/L-lysine (Lys) composite material on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). It was applied for the detection of Nile blue A (NBA). Hydroxyapatite was obtained from snail shells and its structural properties before and after its combination with Lys were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analyses. The coupling of Lys to HA was attributed to favorable interaction between negatively charged -COO− groups of Lys and divalent ions Ca2+ of HA. Electrochemical investigations pointed out the improvement in sensitivity of the GCE/Lys/HA sensor towards the detection of NBA in solution. The dependence of the peak current and potential on the pH, scan rate, and NBA concentration was also investigated. Under optimal conditions, the GCE/Lys/HA sensor showed a good reproducibility, selectivity, and a NBA low detection limit of 5.07 × 10−8 mol L−1. The developed HA/Lys-modified electrode was successfully applied for the detection of NBA in various water samples.

In this study, sorption properties of a synthesized anionic clay were enhanced by the intercalation of oxalate ions in its interlayer space. The pristine and modified clay materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis. These techniques confirmed the presence of oxalate ions in the interlayer space of the clay. The intercalated clay was then used as a matrix for the sorption in batch mode of nickel ions in aqueous solution. The influence of a number of parameters such as contact time, pH, initial concentration of the analyte and adsorbent dosage were studied. The maximum adsorption of nickel was obtained at pH 6, that is, about 90% Ni 2+ removal. The adsorbent/adsorbate equilibrium follows a pseudo-second order kinetics and best matches the Langmuir model. The modified clay was shown to be efficient matrix for the sorption of nickel ions.

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Orange albedo and its adsorption capacity towards bisphenol A (BPA) were studied. Adsorption experiments were conducted in batch mode at 25-55°C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterise the biosorbent. The effects of various parameters including adsorption time, equilibrium pH, adsorbent dosage and initial adsorbate concentration were investigated. The optimum contact time and pH for the removal of BPA were 60 min and 2, respectively. It was found that the adsorption isotherms best matched the Freundlich model, the adsorption of BPA being multilayer and that of the albedo surface heterogeneous. From the kinetic studies, it was found that the removal of BPA best matched the pseudo-second order kinetic model. An adsorption mechanism based on the albedo surface molecules is proposed and gives a good account of π-π interactions and hydrogen bonding. Orange albedo, with a maximum BPA loading capacity of 82.36 mg g (significantly higher than that of most agricultural residues), is a good candidate for BPA adsorption in aqueous media.

In this study, shea residues (Vitellaria paradoxa) dumped in the wild by the units processing almonds into butter were used in the production of activated carbons. Shea nut shells harvested in the locality of Baktchoro, West Tandjile Division of Chad were used as a precursor for the preparation of activated carbons by chemical activation with phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4) and sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4). Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to optimize the preparation conditions, and the factors used were concentration of activating agent (1-5 M), carbonization temperature (400˚C-700˚C) and residence time (30-120 min). The studies showed that at optimal conditions the yield was 51.45% and 42.35%, while the iodine number (IN) was 709.45 and 817.36 mg/g for CAK-P (phosphoric acid activated carbon) and CAK-S (sulphuric acid activated carbon) respectively. These two activated carbons (ACs) which were distinguished by their considerable iodine number, were variously characterized by elementary analysis, pH at the point of zero charge (pHpzc), bulk density, moisture content, Boehm titration, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, BET adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. These analyses revealed the acidic and microporous nature of CAK-P and CAK-S carbons, which have a specific microporous surface area of 522.55 and 570.65 m 2 •g −1 respectively.

In situ characterisation techniques granted unprecedented experimental access to the formation dynamics of carbonate-intercalated Mg2+/Al3+ LDHs.

Activated carbon was prepared from waste of monkey kola by pyrolysis and chemical activation using H 3 PO 4. It was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Different physical properties namely bulk density, moisture content, volatile matter content, iodine number, pH of the solution, pHpzc and methylene blue adsorption were also determined. The activated carbon was used as an Original Research Article