The Application of Activated Carbon Prepared from Waste Tire at Pesticides Removal from Wastewater

Waste rubber tire has been used for the removal of pesticides from waste water by adsorption phenomenon. By applying chemical and thermal treatment on carbon prepared from waste rubber, a carbonaceous adsorbent is prepared with favorable surface chemistry. Presence of oxygen functional groups as evidenced by FTIR spectra, along with excellent porous and surface properties were the driving force for good adsorption efficiency observed for the studied pesticides. Adsorption studies showed the maximum adsorption of 112 mg/g, 104.9 mg/g and 88.9 mg/g for methoxychlor, atrazine and methyl parathion respectively at a contact time of 60 min. at pH 2 from an initial pesticide concentration of 12 mg/L. This sorbent is inexpensive in comparison to commercial carbon and has a better efficiency than most other adsorbents reported in literatures.