Utilization of Activated Carbon Prepared from Pumpkin Seed Shell for the Removal of Dyestuff from Aqueous Solutions and Wastewater by Microwave Radiation

Abstract

In this study, the aim was to investigate the removal of the cationic (Methylene Blue, MB) and anionic (Acid Blue 193, AB) dyestuff from aqueous solutions and wastewater (synthetic) using activated carbon prepared from pumpkin seed shell as adsorbent (as catalyst) by the microwave-assisted (MW) method. This process is the combination of MW irradiation, MW adsorbent (as catalyst) and oxidant. The effects of radiation time, dosages of adsorbent and oxidant and initial dyestuff concentration on the removal efficiency were investigated. With the initial dyestuff concentration of 100 mg/L, a 99 % dyestuff removal percentage was obtained applying low power in 3 min using 0.2 g activated carbon and 0.5 mL hydrogen peroxide for MB and a 90% removal percentage was obtained applying low power in 3 min using 0.6 g activated carbon and 0.5 mL hydrogen peroxide for AB. Results suggest that the prepared activated carbon from pumpkin seed shell has potential in remediation of dyestuff contaminated waters.

Keywords: Activated carbon, Dyestuff, Aqueous solution, Wastewater, Microwave radiation

DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/5-2-08