Valorization of Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa) Leaves into Iron-Containing Activated Carbon for Rapid Catalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue with Hydrogen Peroxide
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1
Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2
Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Corresponding author
Dung Van Nguyen
Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
J. Ecol. Eng. 2024; 25(8):54-61
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ABSTRACT
This study sought to use tropical almond leaves (TALs) for the simple fabrication of iron-containing activated carbon (IAC). Iron precursor (FeCl3) and activating agent (KOH) were sequentially preloaded in TALs. One-pot pyrolysis then generated iron-based particles (8.7 wt%), mainly metallic iron crystals, within AC support. The specific saturation magnetization of IAC was measured to be 48.9 emu/g, highlighting its ability to be efficiently separated using external magnetic fields. Moreover, the activation process yielded IAC with a large total volume of 0.28 cm3/g and a high specific surface area of 463 m2/g. Accordingly, IAC was investigated as an oxidation catalyst to degrade methylene blue (MB) by H2O2. At pH 3.0, 800 ppm H2O2, and 0.10 g/L IAC, 95.3% of MB (200 ppm) was removed after 30 min of adsorption and 60 min of oxidation. Altogether, iron-containing activated carbon from fallen leaves of tropical almonds proved its potential for robust methylene blue degradation by H2O2.