Surface functionalized dehydrated carbon from date palm leaflets for pollution control

Industrial wastewater is considered to be a serious source of pollution to surface and ground water. Organic compounds, anionic toxic species and heavy metals are usually present in industrial wastewater such as oil produced water and mining wastewater. With the water scarcity in Oman, water treatment is becoming very important not only to prevent ground water contamination but also to provide a clean water resource for compensating the fresh water deficit. The proposed project intends to introduce different classes of sorbents from date palm leaflets. First, dehydrated carbon with high surface concentration of carboxylic groups will be prepared via sulfuric and phosphoric acid treatment. The surface of the carbon will be functionalized using ammonia and diamine short chain derivatives for the removal of some selected heavy metals and some anionic species from aquatic solutions. Another surface functionalization of the dehydrated carbon will be carried out using primary amine surfactants for the removal of residual oils and organic compounds from wastewater. The project will constitute bench studies for the removal of some organic pollutants, some selected anionic species and some heavy metals starting with synthetic solutions. Representative samples of produced water and mining wastewater will be tested for total organic carbon (TOC), anionic species and concentrations of heavy metals before and after the treatment with the developed surface-functionalized carbons. A group of analytical techniques such as HPLC, ICP-MS and ion chromatography will be utilized to evaluate the level of these pollutants in the industrial wastewater before and after the treatment. Batch and filter column studies will be carried out for the removal of these pollutants.