Microporous carbons from Moringa oleifera husks for water purification in less developed countries

High quality activated carbon can be prepared from the waste husks of Moringa oleifera, an indigenous tropical plant material. Steam activated husks exhibited a well-developed micropore volume of 0.57 cm3 g−1 and a corresponding apparent surface area 734 m2 g−1, as determined by BET N2 adsorption hysteresis. In an assessment of aqueous phase adsorptive performance, activated Moringa carbon was found to be comparable to commerical powdered activated water treatment carbons (PACs) and exhibited a Langmuir monolayer coverage constant (Q0) of 1.89 mmol g−1 for phenol adsorption from the aqueous phase. Cultivation of Moringa oleifera in developing countries for the coagulant properties of its seed extract provides a well founded economic incentive for the utilisation of treated waste husks as activated carbon during in situ water purification.