Preparation and Characterisation of Activated Carbon from Agricultural Waste Biomass in Enugu State, South East Nigeria

Activated carbon produced from low-cost agricultural waste materials offers a sustainable and economically viable alternative to commercial activated carbon for adsorption-based water treatment and industrial applications. This study prepares and characterises activated carbon derived from groundnut shells and rice husks, two abundantly available agricultural waste streams in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. Carbonisation is carried out at temperatures of 300, 400, and 500 degrees Celsius in a muffle furnace under limited air supply, followed by chemical activation using zinc chloride and potassium hydroxide at varying impregnation ratios. Physicochemical characterisation involves determination of surface area by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, pore volume, iodine number, methylene blue number, ash content, moisture content, and pH of aqueous suspension. Scanning electron microscopy is used to examine surface morphology. The adsorption performance of the prepared activated carbon is assessed using methylene blue dye as a model pollutant in batch equilibrium experiments. Results are expected to identify optimum carbonisation temperature and activating agent concentrations yielding surface areas and adsorption capacities comparable to commercial standards. The study supports waste valorisation initiatives and contributes to locally adaptable water treatment solutions for communities in the South East geopolitical zone. Keywords: activated carbon, agricultural waste, adsorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, Enugu