Studying the Adsorption of Lead from aqueous Solution using Local Adsorbent Material Produced from Waste Tires by Pyrolysis

Abstract

In this research a local adsorbent was prepared from waste tires using two-step pyrolysis method. In the carbonization process, nitrogen gas flow rate was 0.2L/min at carbonization temperature of 500ºC for 1h. The char products were then preceded to the activation process at 850°C under carbon dioxide (CO2) activation flow rate of 0.6L/min for 3h. The activation method produced local adsorbent material with a surface area and total pore volume as high as 118.59m2/g and 0.1467cm3/g, respectively. The produced local adsorbent (activated carbon) was used for adsorption of lead from aqueous solution. The continuous fixed bed column experiments were conducted. The adsorption capacity performance of prepared activated carbons in this work was investigated. The results in this study indicated that the produced activated carbon from waste tires was an attractive adsorbent for removal of lead from aqueous solutions. The optimum values of bed height, flow rate, initial concentration and particle size were found to be 0.04m, flow rate 1L/h, initial concentration 0.5mg/L and particle diameter 0.5mm, respectively.