AMMONIA ADSORPTION FROM PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT USING CARBONIZED PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES

The increasing production of palm oil generates substantial amounts of palm oil mill effluent (POME) which poses significant environmental challenges due to elevated ammonia levels. POME discharge can lead to detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems including toxic conditions for aquatic life and intensified eutrophication. This study uniquely optimizes the carbonization temperature and adsorbent dosage of palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), an abundant agricultural by-product for efficient ammonia removal from POME thus advancing sustainable wastewater treatment applications. Experimental results indicate that a 5 g/L dosage of palm EFB carbonized at 500°C achieves the highest ammonia removal efficiency, significantly reducing concentrations from 423 mg/L to below regulatory limits. The adsorption capacity was determined to be approximately 34.6 mg/g, corresponding to over 80% removal efficiency. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption process predominantly follows a pseudo-second-order model, indicating a chemisorption mechanism. The findings demonstrate significant potential for scalable and cost-effective ammonia remediation, with benefits including reduced environmental pollution and enhanced regulatory compliance within the palm oil industry. Future work will focus on evaluating adsorbent reusability and integrating this method with complementary treatment technologies to further improve overall treatment efficiency. This study underscores the value of utilizing carbonized palm EFB as an effective, sustainable solution contributing to improved environmental management practices.