Isotherm studies of malachite green removal by yarn processing sludge-based activated carbon

Adsorption is an effective wastewater treatment technique which has been widely used in various industrial applications. However, the high operation cost involving commercial activated carbon in industrial processes is the main drawback. Sewage sludge is an auspicious precursor of activated carbon owing to its high carbon content, rich functional groups, low cost, high availability and abundance. This research was aimed to establish the feasibility of converting yarn processing sludge into activated carbon by KI + KOH activation and char at 700 °C for 1 h. The effect of preparation strategies on the properties of sludge-based adsorbents (SBA) was reviewed. The applications of SBAs in the removal of dyes and model pollutants were discussed. The results from this study proved that the preparation of yarn processing sludge-based activated carbon via KI + KOH activation is feasible and effective in the adsorption of dye. This paper provides further insight on the preparation methods of sludge-based adsorbents and dye wastewater treatment using these adsorbents.