Utilization of oil palm biodiesel solid residue as renewable sources for preparation of granular activated carbon by microwave induced KOH activation


Utilization of oil palm biodiesel solid residue as renewable sources for
preparation of granular activated carbon by microwave induced KOH
activation

K.Y. Foo, B.H. Hameed ⇑
School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universit Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia

h i g h l i g h t s

" Highlight the renewable use of oil palm biodiesel solid residue.
" Explore the potential of microwave heating.
" Low activation time of 10 min.
" High monolayer adsorption capacity for MB of 343.94 mg/g.

a r t i c l e i n f o

Article history:
Received 25 July 2012
Received in revised form 9 November 2012
Accepted 30 November 2012
Available online 11 December 2012

Keywords:
Activated carbon
Adsorption
Isotherm
Microwave
Oil palm shell

a b s t r a c t

In this work, preparation of granular activated carbon from oil palm biodiesel solid residue, oil palm shell
(PSAC) by microwave assisted KOH activation has been attempted. The physical and chemical properties
of PSAC were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, volumetric adsorption analyzer and ele-
mental analysis. The adsorption behavior was examined by performing batch adsorption experiments
using methylene blue as dye model compound. Equilibrium data were simulated using the Langmuir,
Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models. Kinetic modeling was fitted to the pseudo-first-order,
pseudo-second-order and Elovich kinetic models, while the adsorption mechanism was determined using
the intraparticle diffusion and Boyd equations. The result was satisfactory fitted to the Langmuir isotherm
model with a monolayer adsorption capacity of 343.94 mg/g at 30 �C. The findings support the potential
of oil palm shell for preparation of high surface area activated carbon by microwave assisted KOH
activation.

� 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

The world is facing the worst energy crisis in its entire history.
For the past two decades, the search for alternative energy, namely
the solar, wind, hydrothermal, geothermal and biofuel, which is
renewable and environmental friendly, has been carried out exten-
sively (Foo and Hameed, 2009a). According to the estimation pre-
dicted by the International Energy Agency, the global energy
consumption is foreseen to increase approximately 88.1% by
2030, with 34.8% of crude oil, 29.2% of coal, 24.1% of natural gas,
5.5% of nuclear energy and 6.4% of hydroelectricity (IEA, 2009).
At the current production rates, the global proven reserves for
crude oil and natural gas are expected to last for the next 41.8
and 60.3 years (Ong et al., 2011). The progressive escalation of oil
price and diminishing fossil fuel reserves has led to a shift towards
alternative fuel sectors (Foo and Hameed, 2009b).

Among all, biodiesel, defined as the mono-alkyl esters of long
chain fatty acids, is produced from biological sources such as veg-
etable oils or animal fats using a biological process known as tran-
sestification (Foo and Hameed, 2012a). Biodiesel has been
identified as the most attractive and practical choice to replace fos-
sil fuel as the main source of energy, due to the similarity with con-
ventional diesel in terms of chemical structure and energy content
(Foo and Hameed, 2012b). Additionally, no modification in diesel
engine is required as biodiesel is compatible with the exiting en-
gine model (Mendow et al., 2012).

Today, the biodiesel is booming in Europe and the United States.
In Malaysia, the national palm oil biofuel policy framework has
been drafted by the government, and 12 biodiesel plants are fully
operational with capacity of producing 1 million tonnes of biodie-
sel per year (Mekhilef et al., 2011). The refining and fractionation
process however, is accompanied by the generation of oil palm bio-
mass, in the form of oil palm trunk, empty fruit bunch, fiber, shell
and discharged waste of palm oil mill effluent (POME) (Foo and
Hameed, 2010a). In the formal practice, some quantity of these

0960-8524/$ - see front matter � 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.11.146

⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +60 45996422; fax: +60 45941013.
E-mail address: chbassim@eng.usm.my (B.H. Hameed).

Bioresource Technology 130 (2013) 696–702

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