Comparative Study on Acetic Acid Adsorption Using Activated Carbon Derived from Banana and Pineapple Peels

This study compares the adsorption efficiency of acetic acid using activated carbon derived from banana peel (BP-AC) and pineapple peel (PP-AC), aiming to evaluate their potential as sustainable adsorbents for wastewater treatment. Adsorption performance was assessed at various time intervals (5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minutes). Although BP-AC exhibited a higher surface area (561 m²/g) than PP-AC (148 m²/g), both materials demonstrated similar adsorption efficiencies at longer contact times. At 5 minutes, BP-AC showed better performance (3.5%) compared to PP-AC (2.5%), but from 10 minutes onward, both reached comparable removal rates between 4.3% and 5.5%. Surface morphology analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the development of porosity following KOH activation, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) indicated the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups. These functional groups likely contributed to acetic acid adsorption through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. The findings suggest that factors such as surface chemistry and pore accessibility significantly influence adsorption efficiency, beyond surface area alone. Despite the difference in surface area, the similar performance of BP-AC and PP-AC highlights the importance of functional group interactions in the adsorption process. Overall, the results support the use of banana and pineapple peel-derived activated carbon as cost-effective, eco-friendly adsorbents for acetic acid removal in water treatment applications.