Abstract
This study was undertaken to detennine the optimal utilization of corn cobs for the production of furfural and active carbon by digesting them with various hydrolyzing acids. in the presence of added metal chlorides. Corn cobs were refluxcd with various concentrations ofH,S04 and HCl separately for 100 and 140 minutes in the presence of added metal chlorides (t'JaC\, CaC'l,. AlCl, and ZnCIJ. The refluxed material was distilled and furfural was extracted from the distillate. The maximum furfural yield was obtained with 14% H,SO Iand AlCl) at 140 minutes digestion time. The residue left after tl!e extraction offurfural was activated directly at 7000C for one hour for the production of active carbon. The maximum yield of active carbon was obt;wled with 14'X, HCl at lOOminutes digestion time with CaCl,. The active carbon was evaluated for its adsorption capacity using iodine and methylene blue by standard methods. The maximum adsorption capacity of active carbon for methylene blue and iodine was obtained with 16% H2 S04 with AlCl) at 140 minutes digestion. Key words: active carbon. adsorption capacity. corn cob. furfural. metal chlorides
