Adsorption Properties of Activated Carbon Prepared from Waste Beer Lees by KOH Activation and CO₂ Activation

Abstract

Activated carbon was successfully produced from beer lees which are the main waste material from a beer-production process, when KOH and CO₂ were used as oxidizing agents in activation process. KOH activation produces well-developed porous structure. CO₂ activation deserves attention in ecological and economical aspects. Adsorptions of 1,2-dichloroethane and 1,2-dichloropropane onto the obtained activated carbon in aqueous solutions were studied. Adsorptions are found to be affected by the solubility of adsorbate and the porous properties of adsorbent such as specific surface area and total pore volume. KOH-activated carbon shows distinguished performance for adsorption of 1,2-dichloropropane. Applicability of the obtained activated carbon was examined with McCabe-Thiele analysis which calculates the specific amount needed for removal of the above organic contaminants in aqueous solutions to meet a given standard.