Efficiency of Heavy Metal Ions Removal from Water by Biochar-SO Prepared from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches by Dehydration with Sulfuric Acid

Yeow, Xiang Yi (2025) Efficiency of Heavy Metal Ions Removal from Water by Biochar-SO Prepared from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches by Dehydration with Sulfuric Acid. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

In this study, the adsorption effectiveness of biochar samples synthesized from oil palm empty fruit bunches using concentrated sulfuric acid for the removal of nickel (II) ions from aqueous solutions was evaluated using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS). A comparison between raw oil palm empty fruit bunches, activated carbon and synthesized biochar was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine the functional groups. Additionally, the adsorption test was carried out to identify the optimal concentration of sulfuric acid, pH value, initial concentration of nickel (II) solution and adsorbent dosage. The adsorption process was analyzed using the Langmuir and the Freundlich adsorption isotherm models to understand the adsorption characteristics of the biochar samples. Moreover, the adsorption test was carried out using tap water and pond water to reflect actual environmental conditions. As a result, the biochar prepared using 70% concentrated sulfuric acid showed the highest removal efficiency of nickel (II) ions in 100 ppm initial nickel (II) concentration with an optimal pH value of 4 and adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g. Moreover, the adsorption of nickel (II) ions using EFB-BC70 was found to fit the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model with an R2 value of 0.9149, with an adsorption capacity of 26.954 mg/g. The results demonstrated that the sulfuric acid-treated biochar is capable of adsorbing and removing nickel (II) ions from aqueous solutions. This study highlights the potential of using biochar derived from agricultural waste as sustainable and efficient material for environmental applications.