Scanning Electron Microscopic Analysis of Changes in Dry Bamboo Adsorbent after Use for the Treatment of Paint Wastewater

Authors: *Achadu, M.A. And Ndubuisi, F.A.

DOI Info: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10442828

ABSTRACT

The study focused on the evaluation of the changes in dry bamboo adsorbent after use for the treatment of paint wastewater. The dry bamboo adsorbent was produced by first carbonizing dry bamboo at a temperature of 800 ^oC, activated at the same temperature in the absence of air and in the presence potassium hydroxide and thereafter washed with hydrochloric acid until a pH value of 6.88 was achieved. It was later subjected to drying at 12 ^oC in an oven for 24 h. The produced activated carbon was used as an adsorbent to treat paint manufacturing wastewater. The produced, activated and used adsorbent were subjected to an imaging scan using scanning electron microscopic (SEM). The result showed that the application of the activated carbon, a good non-polar adsorbent with micro-pores and surface areas was effective for the removal of impurities from paint based waste water. The SEM images also showed the pores of the activated carbonized material and deposits of impurities on the surface areas and pores of the used activated samples. The concentration of some elements found in the activated carbons increased after usage implying adsorption of some of inorganic pollutants present in the paint wastewater. Hence, activated carbons from dry bamboo, an economical and readily available resource, can be used as adsorbent for the adsorption of pollutants from waste water.

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