Banana pseudo stem- and palm kernel shell-based biochars by microwave for methylene blue adsorption

• Main Authors: Yeo, Shi Hao, Ahmad Zaini, Muhammad Abbas, Che Yunus, Mohd Azizi
• Format: Article
• Published: Taylor and Francis Ltd. 2023
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/106800/; https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2023.2265862

This study investigates the adsorptive properties of biochars derived from banana pseudostem (BP) and palm kernel shell for methylene blue (MB) removal. The biochars were prepared using a microwave-assisted method, resulting in unique surface characteristics. The BP-based biochar (BP-C) exhibits a high surface area of 46.6 m2/g with MB capacity of 165 mg/g, surpassing that of palm kernel shell-based biochar (PK-C) with a capacity of 34.9 mg/g. Both biochars show a good fit to Langmuir model, implying a monolayer adsorption of MB on homogeneous surface. However, the kinetic analysis suggests that BP-C is driven by chemisorption while that of PK-C is physisorption. The thermodynamic analysis shows that the MB adsorption onto BP-C is spontaneous and favorable particularly at elevated temperatures and low MB concentrations. To conclude, this work highlights the promising BP-C as effective adsorbent for dye removal, offering insights into sustainable dye wastewater treatment application.