Corn Stalk: An Effective Adsorbent

This study investigates the effect of various parameters, including adsorbent dosage, pH, contact time, and initial concentration, on the adsorption of cobalt(II) ions from aqueous solutions using carbon as the adsorbent. The results show that cobalt(II) adsorption decreases with increasing adsorbent dosage, with the highest adsorption capacity (132.13 mg/g) observed at 0.1 g of carbon dosage, while higher dosages led to a reduction in efficiency. In terms of pH, the highest adsorption capacity of 129.63 mg/g was recorded at pH 9.1, indicating optimal conditions for cobalt(II) ion removal. Regarding contact time, the adsorption capacity increased significantly with time, reaching its peak at 60 minutes (146.05 mg/g), after which it stabilized. The effect of initial concentration revealed that the adsorption capacity increased with the initial concentration of cobalt(II) ions, with the highest capacity (202.68 mg/g) observed at 250 mg/L. The findings suggest that contact time, pH, and initial concentration are crucial factors in optimizing the adsorption process for effective removal of cobalt(II) ions from aqueous solutions.