Valorization of Polyethylene Terephthalate Waste into Activated Carbon for Used Cooking Oil Purification

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dc.contributor.advisorShimelis Kebede (PhD)
dc.contributor.authorAbdusemed Seid
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-07T09:16:45Z
dc.date.available2025-10-07T09:16:45Z
dc.date.issued2025-06
dc.description.abstractThis study focused on producing AC from post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for the purification of Used Cooking Oil (UCO), addressing two critical environmental concerns: plastic waste and oil pollution. AC was prepared using a double activation method with potassium hydroxide (KOH) at 800°C for 2 hours. The optimal sample was produced at an impregnation ratio of 1:1 (KOH to PET), resulting in a BET surface area of 984.9 m²/g. Comprehensive characterization was conducted using BET and BJH analyses, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The adsorption process was optimized for free fatty acid (FFA) removal, achieving a maximum efficiency of 68.2% under conditions of 112 minutes of contact time, a 7.5% (w/v) adsorbent dosage, and a mixing speed of 240 rpm. Under these conditions, the oil's peroxide value (PV) was reduced by 77.21%, and lightness increased by 3.51 units. Kinetic modeling revealed that the adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model with an R² value of 0.9657. However, the pseudo-first-order (R² = 0.9644) and intraparticle diffusion (R² = 0.9522) models also demonstrated reasonable fits. The PET-derived AC exhibited competitive, and in some cases superior, performance compared to biomass-based alternatives, indicating its potential as a sustainable and effective material for UCO purification.
dc.identifier.urihttps://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7476
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherAddis Ababa University
dc.subjectAdsorption
dc.subjectActivated Carbon
dc.subjectPolyethylene Terephthalate
dc.subjectUsed Cooking Oil
dc.subjectFree Fatty Acid
dc.subjectOptimization
dc.subjectKinetic Study
dc.titleValorization of Polyethylene Terephthalate Waste into Activated Carbon for Used Cooking Oil Purification
dc.typeThesis

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