Characterization of a coconut pulp - magnetite composite applicable to the adsorption of chromium VI by IR, XRD, EDS and SEM

Full text: The dried powder of the coconut pulp fruit Acrocomia aculeata is discarded in large quantities. This powder was used to synthesize a stable coconut pulp-magnetite composite in aqueous solution. The objective of this work was to analyze the composite by various materials characterization techniques and assess their ability to retain chrome on its surface. The material analysis and characterization techniques used in this experimental study were Attenuated Reflectance Infrared (ATR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X Ray Diffraction (XRD), spectroscopy of dispersive energy (EDX) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Besides, it was applied the Langmuir isotherm to verify the adsorption of chromium VI on composite surface. The results indicate that the coconut pulp-magnetite composite presents appropriate characteristics of surface and functional groups and it is able to adsorb chrome on its surface. Thus, it could be applied in the future to an electro-analytical detection system. (author)