Abstract
In this research study, the removal of phenol from aqueous solution was investigated in a batch system using a new adsorbent prepared from the pine cone. The raw pine cone was activated by chemical calcination and immobilized in alginate producing the alginate-powdered activated pine cone (alginate-PAPC) beads. The obtained biomaterial was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of solution pH, initial phenol concentration and alginate-PAPC beads mass on the adsorption process were studied. A factorial experimental design 2(3) was considered to investigate the effect of the three parameters on the equilibrium adsorption capacity. The equilibrium adsorption results can be successfully modeled by the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin, isotherms. The maximal biosorption capacity was 146.39 mg of phenol/g alginate-PAPC beads and corresponds to 500 mg/L of initial phenol concentration, pH medium 2, and 1 g of alginate-PAPC beads mass.