Equilibrium studies of copper ion adsorption onto palm kernel fibre

The equilibrium sorption of copper ions from aqueous solution using a new adsorbent, palm kernel fibre, has been studied. Palm kernel fibre is obtained in large amounts as a waste product of palm oil production. Batch equilibrium studies were carried out and system variables such as solution pH, sorbent dose, and sorption temperature were varied. The equilibrium sorption data was then analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) and Temkin isotherms. The fit of these isotherm models to the equilibrium sorption data was determined, using the linear coefficient of determination, r2, and the non-linear Chi-square, χ2 error analysis.The results revealed that sorption was pH dependent and increased with increasing solution pH above the pHPZC of the palm kernel fibre with an optimum dose of 10 g/dm3. The equilibrium data were found to fit the Langmuir isotherm model best, with a monolayer capacity of 3.17 × 10−4 mol/g at 339 K. The sorption equilibrium constant, Ka, increased with increasing temperature, indicating that bond strength between sorbate and sorbent increased with temperature and sorption was endothermic. This was confirmed by the increase in the values of the Temkin isotherm constant, B1, with increasing temperature. The Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) isotherm parameter, free energy, E, was in the range of 15.7–16.7 kJ/mol suggesting that the sorption mechanism was ion exchange. Desorption studies showed that a high percentage of the copper was desorbed from the adsorbent using acid solutions (HCl, HNO3 and CH3COOH) and the desorption percentage increased with acid concentration. The thermodynamics of the copper ions/palm kernel fibre system indicate that the process is spontaneous and endothermic.