CHARACTERIZATION OF CHEMICALLY MODIFIED AND MICROWAVE TREATED CARBON MATERIAL DEVELOPED FROM FICUS BENGHALENSIS LEAF

Abstract

A new bioadsorbent carbon material was developed by acid-base impregnation of carbonized Ficus benghalensis leaf followed by microwave treatment (MACFBL). Synthesized carbon material was characterized using proximate and ultimate analysis. The element analysis of prepared bioadsorbent of Ficus benghalensis leaf shows 39.74 % carbon, 1.09 % hydrogen and 0.55 % nitrogen. The surface morphology and the chemical composition of MACFBL was analysed by SEM and EDX, respectively. EDX results of acid-base impregnated bioadsorbent of Ficus benghalensis leaf have 46.83% of carbon by weight. The surface chemical nature of bioadsorbent and functional groups on the surface of the active carbon was studied by FT-IR and XRD. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area under nitrogen adsorption at -196ºC of prepared adsorbent was found 109.41 m2/g. The present research work shows that microwave assisted and acid-base impregnated bioadsorbent of Ficus benghalensis leaf could be employed as low cost bioadsorbent material in bioengineering process in the removal of toxic pollutants from waste water. The results of the characterization of MAFBL carbon material also exhibited ideal adsorbent properties.