Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon Derived from Water Lily (Nymphaea Ampla) Roots
  • Author(s): Abah Moses; Ishaq Shaibu Eneji; Precious Nnennaya Akpa-onyeabor; Luper Magarshi
  • Paper ID: 1718536
  • Page: 20-30
  • Published Date: 01-06-2026
  • Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
  • Publisher: IRE Journals
  • e-ISSN: 2456-8880
  • Volume/Issue: Volume 9 Issue 12 June-2026
Abstract

Waterlily root-derived activated carbon was used to make powdered activated carbon. After 15 minutes of carbonization at 400 °C, the mixture was allowed to chill in ice before being chemically activated with 0.8 M ZnCl2 (zinc chloride). The mixture was agitated for an hour at 350 rpm and heated until a paste was formed.The paste was placed in a crucible, oven-dried at 105 °C, heated in a muffle furnace at 500 °C for one hour and thirty minutes, chilled in ice to help the sample retain its hardness (attrition), and rinsed with distilled water until the pH of the flushing water was between 5.7 and 6.2. After that, the wet sample was dried in an oven set at 105 °C for a whole day. The final product, known as WLR-AC, was stored in airtight plastic after being ground and filtered after drying. A few physicochemical parameters were measured for the adsorbent samples (WLR-AC and CAC). pH of 6.30 ± 0.10; 6.30 ± 0.10; moisture content (%) 4.98 ± 0.01; 5.62 ± 0.05; bulk density (Kg/m3) 250.00 ± 1.00; 278.00 ± 0.10; ash content (%) 6.43 ± 0.02; surface area (m2/g) 53.49 ± 0.02; carbon yield (%) 33.49 ± 0.00; and iodine number (mg/g) 299.15 ± 0.05. The results of the t-test statistical analysis revealed that there was no significant difference between the two activated carbons' properties for the following parameters: pH, bulk density (Kg/m3), pHpzc, and moisture content (%) for the WLR-AC samples. There was a notable variation in the activated carbons' iodine number (mg/g), surface area (m2/g), and ash content (%). The prepared activated carbon derived from biomass (waterlily roots) compared favorably well considering the surface properties with the commercial activated carbon, therefore can be use as an alternative for CAC.

Keywords

Activated Carbon, Characterized, Nymphaea Ampla, Carbonization, Bulk Density

Citations

IRE Journals:
Abah Moses, Ishaq Shaibu Eneji, Precious Nnennaya Akpa-onyeabor, Luper Magarshi "Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon Derived from Water Lily (Nymphaea Ampla) Roots" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 12 2026 Page 20-30 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I12-1718536

IEEE:
Abah Moses, Ishaq Shaibu Eneji, Precious Nnennaya Akpa-onyeabor, Luper Magarshi "Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon Derived from Water Lily (Nymphaea Ampla) Roots" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(12) https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I12-1718536