Characterization and Application of Activated Carbon from Oil Palm Shell Prepared By Physical Activation and Nitric Acid for the Removal of Phenol and 2-Chlorophenol

Activated carbon from oil palm shell was prepared by physical activation and washing with nitric acid solution. The textural properties of activated carbon were obtained BET surface area 491.16m2/g, Langmuir surface area 723.55m2/g, micropore volume 0.27cc/g and pore radius 7.10. The activated carbon was evaluated as an adsorbent for the removal of phenol and 2cholorophenol from aqueous solution with batch adsorption process. Equilibrium pH values showed the maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at pH 5 and 7 for phenol and 2-chlorophenol, respectively. The equilibrium adsorption of weight activated carbon was evaluated with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model conducting of removal of phenol and 2-chlorophenol. The result indicates that both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models are favorable for phenol adsorption process with 0.944 and 0.996, respectively. However, 2-chlorophenol is only favorable for Freundlich isotherm model with correlation coefficient (R2) 0.981.