Preparation of Activated Carbon from a Petrochemical Industrial Waste by NaOH Activation under Microwave Radiation, Application in Dyes Adsorption

Coal, an industrial waste generated from an Algerian petrochemical industry was treated with NaOH and activated under microwave radiation to prepare low cost activated carbon. Effects of some operating parameters on the adsorption capacity of the prepared activated carbon were investigated. Results showed that the optimum conditions were as follows: impregnation time of 12 h, the impregnation ratio of NaOH was 0.4 g.g^-1, microwave radiationtime of 10 min and microwave power of 400 W. The prepared adsorbent was evaluated as anadsorbent for removal of methylene blue and methyl orange from aqueous solutions. Theisotherm data could be well described by the Langmuir equation. pHpzc and FTIR characterization results of the prepared material showed that treatment increases the basiccharacter of the activated carbon and promotes the adsorption of methylene blue dyes on itsface.