Smartphone-based study of cement-activated charcoal coatings for removal of organic pollutants from water

Cement-based activated charcoal composites (in the form of coatings) were fabricated and applied as an adsorbent for water remediations. Activated charcoal (AC) was mixed in the Portland cement in different proportions (10, 30, and 50% by wt.) and prepared samples were used as an adsorbent for two different organic compounds, namely Methylene blue (MB), Rhodamine and B (RB). The smartphone-based colorimetry method was used to quantify the dye removal process. The maximum adsorptive removals of MB, RB, and were recorded 80, and 71, respectively using 50% AC coating at neutral pH 7. The operating parameters were optimized using response surface methodology and box-Behnken design was used for experimental design and analysis of results. The coatings composition was found to be the most influencing parameter followed by adsorbate concentration and pH. The maximum removal was found at a dye concentration of 20.1 mg/lt, pH 11.7, and composite composition of 47.9%. The intraparticle diffusion kinetic model was used to study the pore diffusion mechanism. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.