Potential of agricultural by-product-based activated carbons for use in raw sugar decolourisation
✍ Scribed by Ahmedna, M; Johns, M M; Clarke, S J; Marshall, W E; Rao, R M
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1997
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 371 KB
- Volume
- 75
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-5142
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✦ Synopsis
The physical (bulk density and hardness) and chemical (pH and mineral content) characteristics of granular activated carbons (GACs) made from rice straw, pecan shells and hulls of soybean and rice were determined. The adsorption properties (iodine test, molasses test and raw sugar decolourisation efficiency) of these by-product-based carbons were also evaluated. A commercial decolourising carbon (Calgon CPG LF) was used as a comparison. Pecan-based carbons had bulk densities and hardness numbers higher than Calgon CPG LF. They also showed a mineral content and pH similar to or lower than the commercial carbon. The adsorption properties of the pecan-based carbons were, however, about 40% below that of the reference carbon. In contrast, rice (hull and straw)-based carbons exhibited good adsorption properties similar to the reference carbon in both iodine test and molasses test, but their ash content and their inherent pHs were higher than Calgon CPG LF. Both types of rice-based carbons were also more friable and had lower bulk densities than the commercial carbon. However, rice-hull-based carbon was statistically as e †ective as Calgon CPG-LF in decolourising raw sugar solutions at the 5% conÐdence level. Of the by-product-based carbons evaluated, pecan-shell-based GACs would be most suitable as raw sugar decolourisers if their adsorption efficiencies could be improved.