title: Removal performance of elemental mercury by low-cost adsorbents prepared through facile methods of carbonisation and activation of coconut husk.
abstract: The preparation of chars and activated carbon as low-cost elemental mercury adsorbents was carried out through the carbonisation of coconut husk (pith and fibre) and the activation of chars with potassium hydroxide (KOH), respectively. The synthesised adsorbents were characterised by using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis. The elemental mercury removal performance was measured using a conventional flow type packed-bed adsorber. The physical and chemical properties of the adsorbents changed as a result of the carbonisation and activation process, hence affecting on the extent of elemental mercury adsorption. The highest elemental mercury (Hg°) adsorption capacity was obtained for the CP-CHAR (3142.57 µg g(-1)), which significantly outperformed the pristine and activated carbon adsorbents, as well as higher than some adsorbents reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Khairiraihanna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johari
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Afidatul Shazwani
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Alias
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Norasikin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saman
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shiow Tien
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Novel Materials Research Group, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia hbmat@cheme.utm.my.
authors.forename: Hanapi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mat
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D003059:Cocos / Q000737:chemistry*; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D006878:Hydroxides; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D002606:Charcoal; D008628:Mercury; D009584:Nitrogen; C029943:potassium hydroxide
keywords: Coconut; activated carbon; adsorption; char; mercury