Corn Cob-Derived Activated Carbon for Chloramphenicol Removal: An Optimization and Mass Transfer Model Study

https://doi.org/10.28991/ESJ-2026-010-03-08
Corn-Cob Activated Carbon Chloramphenicol Adsorption Mass Transfer

Authors

  • Mohamad Razif Mohd Ramli
    mohamad.razif@utm.my
    1) Integrated Water Processing Research Group, Water and Environment Centre, Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates. 2) School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. 3) Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5238-2416
  • Abdul Wahab Mohammad 1) Integrated Water Processing Research Group, Water and Environment Centre, Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates. 4) Chemical and Water Desalination Engineering Program, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9253-8283
  • Mohd Sobri Takriff 1) Integrated Water Processing Research Group, Water and Environment Centre, Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates. 4) Chemical and Water Desalination Engineering Program, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2252-8159
  • Mohd Azmier Ahmad School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8412-2491
  • Noor Fazliani Shoparwe Gold, Rare Earth and Material Technopreneurship Centre (GREAT), Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, Jeli 17600, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4329-2459
  • Ebenezer I. Oluwasola Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice 44-100, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2294-6932
Vol. 10 No. 3 (2026): June
Research Articles

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This study developed a sustainable activated carbon (AC) from corn cob agricultural waste for efficient chloramphenicol (CP) removal from aqueous solutions and to improve the predictive understanding of the adsorption process. Microwave-assisted physicochemical activation using potassium hydroxide (KOH) was optimized through response surface methodology (RSM), with activation time, microwave radiation power, and impregnation ratio (IR) identified as the key preparation variables. Under the optimal conditions (3.86 min, 616 W, and 2.5 g/g), the resulting AC achieved a yield of 16.6% and a CP adsorption capacity of 20.2 mg/g. The optimized AC exhibited a high BET surface area (832.68 m²/g), a mesopore-dominated pore structure (mesoporous surface area of 623.45 m²/g), a pore volume of 0.09067 cm³/g, and an average pore diameter of 1.93 nm, leading to a maximum experimental adsorption capacity of 20.68 mg/g at 30 °C. In addition, a mass transfer (MT) model was successfully applied to predict an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 21.48 mg/g with a low average error of 3.29% and R² ≥ 0.90. By integrating process optimization with mass transfer modeling, this study improves the understanding of CP adsorption and provides a practical framework for designing efficient, waste-derived adsorbents for antibiotic-contaminated water treatment.