Innovative methods using palm frond-derived activated carbon for Cu (II) adsorption

Abstract

Industrial wastewater often contains high levels of heavy metals, posing significant environmental and public health risks. This study investigates the adsorption efficiency of activated carbon derived from palm fronds treated with H₃PO₄ (ACTPFs) for the removal of copper ions (Cu (II)) from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were conducted at room temperature (25 ± 1 °C) to examine the effects of pH, initial metal concentration, adsorbent dosage, and contact time on adsorption. Characterization of ACTPFs was performed using BET (surface area and porosity), SEM (surface morphology), FT-IR, and XRD techniques. The results showed that ACTPFs achieved a Cu (II) removal efficiency of 99.65 % within 90 min under neutral conditions. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption process is spontaneous and feasible, as evidenced by negative ΔG° values, while positive ΔH° and ΔS° values suggested endothermic and entropy-driven adsorption. Kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption followed both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, demonstrating favorable adsorption characteristics. The findings confirm that H₃PO₄-treated palm frond-derived activated carbon is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of Cu (II) from industrial wastewater.