Synthesis and Characterisation of Activated Carbon Obtained from Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) Nutshell

Table 3

The total carbon content of the synthesised activated samples.

Acid (%)

Treatments

200°C

value

400°C

value

500°C

value

600°C

value

H3PO4

H2SO4

H3PO4

H2SO4

H3PO4

H2SO4

H3PO4

H2SO4

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

(%) Carbon

20

66.5 ± 0.01^a

69.3 ± 0.02^a

ns

62.1 ± 0.02^a

49.9 ± 0.03^b

<0.05

53.6 ± 0.01^a

59.3 ± 0.02^a

ns

65.9 ± 0.01^a

67.0 ± 0.01^a

ns

40

42.9 ± 0.01^a

57.2 ± 0.01^b

<0.05

20.8 ± 0.03^a

56.1 ± 0.02^b

<0.05

61.8 ± 0.02

—

ns

50.7 ± 0.02^a

46.0 ± 0.05^a

ns

60

69.8 ± 0.02^a

63.2 ± 0.02^a

ns

56.1 ± 0.01

—

ns

60.24 ± 0.03^a

79 ± 0.03^b

<0.05

58.3 ± 0.03

—

ns

Mean ± standard deviations are reported. Means in a row with different superscripts (^{a, b}) are significantly different at . ns = not significant.