Background/Objectives: Preparing of activated carbons from agricultural wastes and testing its removal efficiencies of organic waste such as oil that oil spills on water bodies are harmful to the environment and humans.
Methods/Statistical Analysis: The study involves the producing of activated carbon from wheat straw, uncooked and cooked corn cobs by using chemical activation method with 50 wt % phosphoric acid followed by carbonization in N2 atmosphere at 500¡ãC. Activated carbons were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms.
Finding: Under certain process conditions, several active carbons with appropriate BET surface areas have been produced, reached 1343.75 m2/g and pore volumes 0.9106 cm3/g for cooked corn cob carbon.
Improvements/Application: The best oil adsorption capacity was shown by activated carbon prepared from cooked corn cob 5.25g oil/g sorbent.