Performance of Activated Carbon from Corn Cob for Methylene Blue Removal

Abstract

Methylene blue (MB) is a commonly used cationic dye in Malaysia textile and allied sectors, poses serious environmental problems due to its persistence, toxicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity. Significantly, amounts of it are also released into groundwater and surface waterways through wastewater. This study purposely to create and characterise activated carbon made from corn cobs that used to filter wastewater containing the MB dye. Physical and chemical activation techniques are used to create activated carbon. The wide surface area and well-established porous structure of corn cob activated carbon (CCAC) increase its potential for adsorption. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) imaging and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses both support the existence of functional groups that aid in adsorption and the porous nature of CCAC. The adsorption tests show that CCAC can successfully remove MB at various starting concentrations. The findings indicate that when MB concentration rises (200-600 mg/L), clearance percentages increase (87-95%). The best conditions for CCAC adsorption are determined to be at a concentration of 600 mg/L, which results in high removal rates for colour, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and turbidity. In conclusion, CCAC provides a cost-effective and effective method for removing MB dye from wastewater, and more study is advised to better understand its kinetics, regeneration, and potential applications to other contaminants as well as to determine how economically viable it is.