Preparation of bamboo activated carbon by microwave radiation with water vapour activation and investigation of its adsorption properties

The bamboo activated carbon (BAC) was prepared from bamboo charcoal, a commercial product, using microwave radiation with water vapour activation. The surface chemistry and physical characteristics of BAC were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (BET) analyzer, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) curve and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The BAC was used for the removal of p-nitrophenol in water. The operational variables including adsorbent dosage, pH, concentration and temperature of solution on the adsorption processes were studied. The BAC regeneration experiments were also carried out. The results showed that the iodine adsorption value was 1099 mg/g and the carbon yield was 34.3% under the optimum conditions. The BAC had a specific surface area of 1168.72 m 2 /g, total pore volume of 2.203 mL/g and micropore volume of 0.444 ml/g. The removal rate could reach 84% under the BAC dosage of 30 mg and p-nitrophenol solution pH of 5.33. The results of kinetic studies and isothermal adsorption model showed that pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isothermal adsorption model was well fitted the adsorption equilibrium process. After four times of regeneration, the removal rate could still reach 72%.