<![CDATA[Cadmium (Cd(II)) is a toxic and non-biodegradable heavy metal that can accumulate in aquatic environments and pose serious ecological and health risks. Biomass-derived activated carbon offers a sustainable alternative for heavy metal removal. Activated carbon was prepared from kapok fruit peel (Ceiba pentandra) through pyrolysis at 600°C, followed by chemical activation using KOH and H₃PO₄. The resulting carbon was characterized by moisture content, ash content, and SEM analysis. Adsorption experiments were conducted to determine the optimum adsorbent mass and contact time for Cd(II) removal. Adsorption behavior was evaluated using the Langmuir isotherm model. Activated carbon activated with KOH showed moisture and ash contents of 1.70 % and 3.30 %, respectively, while H₃PO₄ activation produced values of 3.70 % and 2.60 %. The optimum adsorbent mass was 0.25 g for KOH with 99.42 % Cd(II) removal and 0.20 g for H₃PO₄ with 98.88 % removal. The optimum contact times were 45 min and 60 min for KOH and H₃PO₄, respectively. Langmuir analysis yielded maximum adsorption capacities of 5.92 mg/g for KOH-activated carbon and 7.36 mg/g for H₃PO₄-activated carbon. Activated carbon derived from kapok fruit peel effectively adsorbed Cd(II) from water. H₃PO₄ activation provided higher adsorption capacity than KOH activation, indicating its greater potential for heavy metal removal applications.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
