Preparation, modification and industrial application of activated carbon from almond shell

Almond shell was used to prepare activated carbon using physical activation method, consisted of carbon dioxide (CO2) gasification. The effects of the preparation variables which were activation temperature, activation time and carbon dioxide flow rate on the adsorption capacity of iodine and methylene blue solution were investigated. The optimal activated carbon was obtained by these conditions as follows: 800 °C activation temperature, 100 cm3/min carbon dioxide flow rate and 120 min activation time. The characterization of carbon materials is performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 13C (CP/MAS and MAS) solid-state NMR, nitrogen adsorption (BET) and Boehm's titration method. For an industrial application, the optimal activated carbon was ammoxidated to improve its adsorption capacity toward total organic carbon from Tunisian industrial phosphoric acid. The influence of experimental parameters such as specific consumption, initial concentration, contact time, agitation speed and temperature on TOC removal was studied.