LAUSR

Abstract Herein we report the fabrication of Zn and Mn loaded activated carbon (AC) derived from corn cobs for the adsorptive desulfurization of model and real fuel oils. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (SBET) analysis, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy results revealed that the prepared adsorbents possessed oxygen functionalities, porous morphology and large SBET (257 m2/g). Preliminary adsorption experiments were accomplished by utilizing 0.15 g adsorbent dosage, 2 h contact time at 30 °C, which removed 95.7% of dibenzothiophene (DBT) associated with a significant decrease in SBET of the spent Zn/AC and Mn/AC (from 257 to 193 m2/g and 42 to 32 m2/g respectively). An overall DBT removal performance order of: Zn/AC > Mn/AC > AC was observed. Kinetics investigations disclosed that adsorption process follows pseudo 2nd order kinetics and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. Zn/AC and Mn/AC adsorbents remained highly active for six repeated cycles with minimal decrease in the desulfurization performance. Under the optimized reaction conditions, 92% DBT from kerosene and 50% from gasoline were removed by the prepared adsorbents. This study provides a cost-effective adsorbent for the effective desulfurization of model and real fuel oils on large scale fuel oil processing.