SORPTION EFFICIENCY STUDY OF PESTICIDE ADSORPTION ON GRANULATED ACTIVATED CARBON FROM GROUNDNUT SHELL USING GC/MS

KOH, H3PO4 and ZnCl2 catalyzed Groundnut shells, subjected to a one and two steps activation methods were employed to study Insecticide (Dichlorvos) uptake. Quantitation, using GC/MS gave a percentage removal of over 98% by all the sorbent in the series. The percentage removal for the one step method follows the trend 1S/KOH/10 (100%) > 1S/H3PO4/10 (99.780%) > 1S/ZnCl2/10 (99.240%). Physicochemical data and close proximity of equilibrium results (qe) to those of similar biowaste as reviewed in literature are indication that Groundnut Shell based sorbent in this study could compete favorably well for pesticide(dichlorvos) uptake.