Evaluation of Ph Behaviour and Adsorption Performance of Coconut Husk Adsorbent in Industrial Wastewater Treatment
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Industrial wastewater containing heavy metals poses significant environmental challenges due to its impact on water quality parameters, particularly pH and contaminant concentration. The presence of copper ions can increase the acidity of wastewater, affecting both treatment efficiency and environmental safety. Therefore, there is a need for sustainable and cost-effective treatment methods that not only remove contaminants but also stabilize pH levels. This study aims to evaluate the pH behaviour and adsorption performance of a coconut husk adsorbent in industrial wastewater treatment. The adsorbent was prepared from coconut husk through washing, chemical activation using sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and low-temperature carbonization. Synthetic wastewater was formulated using kaolin and different concentrations of copper. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to assess changes in pH and absorbance before and after treatment. The results showed that the initial pH decreased with increasing copper concentration, with values of 4.85, 4.66, and 4.01 recorded for Sample 1, Sample 2, and Sample 3, respectively. After treatment, the pH increased to 5.12, 4.99, and 4.60, indicating improved pH stabilization. In terms of adsorption performance, absorbance values decreased from 2.137 to 1.956 and from 2.494 to 2.357 for Sample 2 and Sample 3, respectively, demonstrating effective contaminant removal. However, a slight increase in absorbance from 1.292 to 1.404 was observed for Sample 1, suggesting reduced adsorption efficiency at lower contaminant concentration. In conclusion, the coconut husk adsorbent demonstrated promising potential as a low-cost and sustainable material for industrial wastewater treatment. Its ability to improve both pH stability and adsorption performance highlights its applicability as an alternative to conventional adsorbents, particularly under moderate to higher contaminant loading conditions.
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