Removal of heavy metals from industrial paint effluent using coconut shell-derived activated carbon

Abstract

This study evaluated the adsorption of heavy metals from paint industry effluent onto activated carbon produced from Coconut shells. The paint effluent samples were characterized before and after treatment via Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) to identify the heavy metal ions present in the samples. The adsorption efficiency of the activated carbon and the effect of varying adsorbent particle size, impregnation ratio, and contact time were determined. The activated carbon from coconut shells was characterized via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine the surface morphology and surface-active functional group. The SEM revealed development in pore size after adding a chemical activator to create functional adsorption sites. The finding concluded that the smaller particle size of adsorbents, higher surface area, higher contact time, and higher impregnation ratio increase the efficiency of the adsorption process.