SYNTHESIS AND CHARATERIZATION OF CARBON DOTS FROM PALM KERNEL CHAFF (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS) FOR THE PURIFICATION OF CRUDE OIL CONTAMINATED WATER

ABSTRACT Water is one of the most important elements that form the foundation of human civilization. About 71% of the surface of the Earth is covered by water, out of which around 97% is saltwater, 2% of the water is in frozen form and the remaining 1% water that is consumable is not distributed evenly to the world. This 1% of the consumable water on the Earth is required for consumption, household chores, and industrial applications. The contamination of ground water by crude oil has become a widespread problem in Nigeria and some parts of the world. This study focused on the synthesis and characterization of carbon nano dots (CNDs) from palm kernel chaff (Elaeis guineensis) as an eco-friendly solution for purifying crude oil-contaminated water. Palm kernel chaft (PKC) a renewable biomass, were hydrothermally processed to produce CNDs with unique physicochemical properties, including high carbon content and functional group diversity. Characterization techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful synthesis of spherical carbon dots with an average size of 2.78nm and 84.68% carbon content. The study evaluated the adsorption efficiency of CNDs by monitoring reductions in Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), achieving a remarkable decrease from 27,827mg/L to 6,565mg/L which represents a reduction. It also evaluate the effectiveness of the CNDs by monitoring some physio-chemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and turbidity over a four-hour treatment period. Results demonstrated a substantial decrease in hydrocarbon fractions, achieving near-complete removal of gasoline-range and diesel-range organics. The pH stabilized to a neutral range (6.5–8.5), meeting World Health Organization standards for potable water. Electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids levels showed controlled increases ranging from 187μS/cm to 223μS/cm and 93mg/L to 110mg/L, reflecting the ionic interactions during hydrocarbon degradation. Turbidity significantly decreased from 2145.6NTU to 50.1NTU, underscoring the efficiency of CNDs in enhancing water clarity. The findings highlight the potential of palm kernel chaff-derived CNDs as a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent for water purification. By leveraging agricultural waste for nanoparticle synthesis, this research contributes to innovative and environmentally conscious approaches to address water contamination. The findings highlight the potential of palm kernel chaff. Further studies are recommended to optimize CND functionalization for broader applications in environmental remediation and water treatment technologies.