Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 22 No 3 (2018): 532 - 541

MONOETHANOLAMINE WASTEWATER TREATMENT VIA ADSORPTION USING WOOD SAWDUST BASED ACTIVATED CARBON

(Rawatan Air Sisa Monoetanolamina Melalui Kaedah Penjerapan Menggunakan Karbon Habuk Kayu Yang Diaktifkan)

Azry Borhan¹*, Tong Yeong Yit¹, Suzana Yusup¹, Normawati Mohd Yunus²

¹Department of Chemical Engineering

²Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences

Universiti Teknologi Petronas, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: azrybo@utp.edu.my

Received: 16 April 2017; Accepted: 7 March 2018

Abstract

In this work, sawdust, which is low cost and produced abundantly from wood industry, was tested as a precursor for the production of porous carbons in a chemical scheme using H₃PO₄. From synthesis parameters studied, F21 activated carbon with the largest surface area, total pore volume and diameter was obtained when sawdust is impregnated with ratio of 1:1 and treated with activation temperature of 500 °C for a period of 60 minutes. Through nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm analysis, existence of mesopores was proven when a combination of Type-I and Type-II isotherms were exhibited by the activated carbon produced. The results from adsorption test showed that under the effect of initial concentration, the optimum sample is capable of removing 96.8% of MEA at low concentration of 100 ppm, while under the effect of stirring rate, 99.7% of MEA is removed at highest stirring rate at 400 rpm. Finally under the effect of contact time, 99.7% of MEA removal is achieved at time of 45 minutes. The obtained results show that agriculture waste product from sawdust can be effectively used as an adsorption material in MEA wastewater treatment.

Keywords: wood sawdust, monoethanolamine, chemical activation, activated carbon, adsorption

Abstrak

Di dalam kajian ini, habuk papan, yang berkos rendah dan dihasilkan dengan banyak dari industri kayu, telah diuji sebagai pemula untuk pengeluaran karbon berliang dalam skim kimia menggunakan H₃PO₄. Dari parameter sintesis yang dikaji, F21 karbon yang diaktifkan menghasilkan luas permukaan, jumlah isi padu dan diameter berliang terbesar diperolehi apabila habuk papan diimpregnasikan dengan nisbah 1:1 dan dirawat dengan suhu pengaktifan 500 °C untuk tempoh 60 minit. Melalui analisis isoterma penjerapan nitrogen, kewujudan liang meso terbukti apabila gabungan isotem Jenis-I dan Jenis-II dipamerkan oleh karbon yang diaktifkan. Hasil daripada ujian penjerapan menunjukkan bahawa di bawah kesan kepekatan awal, sampel optimum mampu mengeluarkan 96.8% daripada monoetanolamina (MEA) pada kepekatan rendah 100 ppm, manakala di bawah kesan kadar kacau, 99.7% daripada MEA dikeluarkan pada kadar pengadukan tertinggi pada 400 rpm. Akhirnya di bawah kesan waktu hubungan, 99.7% penyingkiran MEA dicapai pada masa 45 minit. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahawa produk sisa pertanian dari habuk papan boleh digunakan dengan berkesan sebagai bahan penjerap dalam rawatan air buangan MEA.

Kata kunci: habuk papan kayu, monoetanolamin, pengaktifan kimia, karbon diaktifkan, penjerapan

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