.

.

ABSTRACT

Massive amounts of solid olive mill residues (olive-waste cake) generated

every year and disposed of in the environment. Thus, the present work aims

to study the preparation of activated carbon (AC) from Libyan Olive-Waste

Cakes as a natural source. The solid olive mill residue was carbonized at

200 C0 and chemically activated with 25% Zncl2 and 25% Zncl2 + 25%

H2SO4 . The prepared AC was used to reduce total hardness in groundwater.

The results showed that the addition of H2SO4 increased the treatment

efficiency of AC leading to decrease the total hardness concentration.

Several parameters affecting the efficiency of AC were investigated

including pH, initial concentration of AC, and contact time. The achieved

results showed that the optimum values were at pH: 3, AC initial

concentration: 2.5 g/L, and contact time 120 min. At these conditions the

maximum reduction of hardness was 75%. According to these results the

olive- waste cake can be considered as an effective natural source of

activated Carbon.

.

.

.