Evaluación de la calidad de carbón activado granular obtenido de la cáscara de piña (Ananás comosus L) por el método de activación física y química

Abstract

The present work aims to determine the appropriate activation method to make granular activated carbon from pineapple peel (Ananás Comosus L). The study was carried out in 3 phases with 3 repetitions of experimental trials. In the first phase, a characterization was made of the waste generated for a week in the Nohora neighborhood, which is located on the outskirts of the municipality of Villavicencio on the road that leads to the municipality of Acacias-Meta, which were used as raw material. The second phase includes the preparation of the samples through the two activation methods: physical and chemical. For each activation method, 9 samples were generated by varying the temperatures in the physical activation process, and using potassium hydroxide in the chemical activation to calculate (humidity, apparent density and number of iode) taking into account the provisions of the Colombian norm. In the third phase, from the data obtained, the Shapiro-Wilk normality test and the Kruskall-Wallis non-parametric method were used as crucial statistical tools. Finally, a comparison was made with NTC guide # 4273 to ensure that granular activated carbon meets the required standards and also ensures its efficiency in the various applications. The results reveal that the optimal conditions for the production of higher quality granular activated carbon are achieved by the method of chemical activation at a temperature of 600°C. The following physicochemical parameters are identified for this type of activated carbon: humidity of 4.75%, apparent density of 0.36 g/cm³ and iodine number of 712.11 mg/g. It is concluded that chemical activation at 600°C is the most efficient method for the production of granular activated carbon from pineapple peel. This method meets the required standards and guarantees the effectiveness of the product in various applications. The transformation of pineapple shell into granular activated carbon has an important potentialin reducing the amount of agricultural waste, contributing positively to the reduction of the environmental burden. In addition, this initiative could generate economic and developmentopportunities in communities close to pineapple plantations, consolidating a more sustainable cycleof resources.