Activated Carbon from Rubber Seed and Palm Seed Coats: Preparation and Characterization

Activated carbons have been prepared from rubber seed coat and palm seed coat by various carbonization techniques such as acid, sulphate, carbonate, chloride, dolomite, and pyrolysis processes. Their characteristics such as bulk density, moisture content, ash content, matter soluble in water and in acid, pH, decolourising power, phenol number, ion exchange capacity, iron content and surface area have been carried out in order to determine the suitability of these carbons for water and wastewater treatment. The results are compared with commercially available activated carbon. Surface area, decolourising power and phenol number of the activated carbons derived from palm seed coat are found to be higher values than the carbon obtained from rubber seed coat and the commercially available activated carbon.