Preparation of activated carbon by chemical activation method from the plant Wrightia tinctoria and its application

Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) has been widely used in wastewater treatment for the removal of various pollutants because of its large surface area and high adsorption capacity. In the present study, the phytochemical analysis of the indigenous medicinal plant Wrightia tinctoria revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Sterols, Glycosides, Terpenoids, and Phytosterols. The activated carbon was prepared using Wrightia tinctoria and characterized by Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR) & Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Parameters analyzed for effluent treatment analysis include Alkaloid, Chloride, Hardness, COD (chemical oxygen demand), TDS (total dissolved solids), and pH. The application of AC was tested towards methylene dye degradation and the best result with 0.09mg concentration. The antimicrobial activity using the agar well diffusion method against the five bacterial cultures was studied by comparing silver nitrate, silver nitrate+AC, and regular ampicillin (25 mcg). Silver nitrate+AC with a 23 mm zone of inhibition produced the best results. In vitro tests revealed that AC has a positive impact on mung seed germination.