Adsorption of Iron (II) from Aqueous Solution by Activated Carbon from Desert Date Seed Shells (Balanites Aegyptiaca)

The presence of heavy metals in water is one of the major environmental issues. In this study, desert date seed shells were employed as precursors for the production of activated carbon by chemical activation process using phosphoric acid (DDSSA) and potassium hydroxide (DDSSS). The activated carbon derived desert date seed were characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, SEM analysis and point of zero charge. The most significant variables that affect the adsorption of iron ions, including pH, contact time, and initial concentration, have been investigated. The results of the research were successfully assessed by Langmuir model. Interestingly, the maximum adsorption ability of Fe²⁺ was found to be 132.25 mg/g onto DDSSA and 126.35 mg/g onto DDSSS, this was found to be higher in comparison to the similar activated carbon obtained by other researchers. The pseudo 2nd order model was also utilized to describe the adsorption and the data showed that adsorption kinetic of Fe²⁺ ions onto the DDSSA and DDSSS is dominated by chemisorption. Moreover, thermodynamic parameters suggested that DDSSA and DDSSS for Fe (II) adsorption phenomenon were endothermic and spontaneous. Taken together the high availability, facile production along with high performance of activated carbon from desert date seed shells make it an economically adsorbent for Fe (II) adsorption.