Physical and Chemical Analysis of Activated Carbon Prepared from Sugarcane Bagasse and Use for Sugar Decolorisation

Activated carbon is used in sugar industries for the removal of colorants from sugar liquor and for treatment of drinking water and industrial wastewater. Coal is a commercially used activated carbon, which is a limited non renewable resource. There are different renewable resources such as sugarcane Bagasse, Almond nutshells, Rice husk, Rice straw, Coconut shells, which could be used as alternatives. In the present work bagasse, the byproduct of sugar industries, was treated and converted into adsorbent. Sugarcane bagasse was mixed with molasses, the binder, and compressed into moulding press to make homogenized pellets at 5000 psi. The sample was then pyrolyzed at 700 oC in an inert atmosphere and subsequently activated at different temperatures from 700 oC to 900 oC. The Physical (bulk density, yield, burn off, hardness) and chemical properties (pH, conductivity, ash) of the activated samples were analyzed using standard methods. These samples were also analyzed at Matiari sugar mill to evaluate the effectiveness for percent color removal from a Melt sugar liquor solution. Relative efficiency of Decolorization was compared with the commercial activated carbon (Cane Cal from Calgon Carbon). It was found that the sample, steam activated at 900 oC, showed the satisfactory Physical and chemical Properties. The decolorizing property was much better than the commercial carbon making it a good decolorizer in the sugar refinery industry. Keywords—Activated carbon, Decolorization, Sugarcane Bagasse, Sugar refining.