Significant quantities of "produced" water within the oil and gas sector of Trinidad and Tobago, comes to the surface with the oil and gas. The occurrence of the contaminant phenol in wastewater, at concentrations above the limit of 0.5 mg/L set by the Environmental Management Authority, has become an area of concern because of the danger of chronic ecological harm. Globally, the technique of Activated Carbon Adsorption of the phenolic compounds has proven to be very successful. Activated Carbon is expensive, and all industrial users import it. These problems are further compounded by the scarcity of foreign exchange in Trinidad and Tobago, and the resulting crippling effect on the economy has forced the development of innovative solutions to the problem. One solution involves the conversion of locally abundant waste materials such as coconut shells, to produce a microporous activated carbon which can then be used in the design of an adsorption unit for the removal of phenolic compounds. This strategy will also provide an environmentally sustainable method for the disposal of large quantities of waste coconut shell generated. Success of this initiative requires producing the Activated Carbon before elucidating its physical characteristics as well as its thermodynamic and kinetic behaviour as it relates to the adsorption of phenol which is critical for the design of the adsorption unit. Preliminary experimental studies have shown that the coconut shell is a good precursor. The objective of this study, therefore, is to produce Activated Carbon using waste coconut shells, and by elucidating its kinetic and thermodynamic properties, design an adsorption unit for the removal of phenolic compounds from "produced" water within the oil and gas sector of Trinidad and Tobago.

Ms. SAFIYYAH WAHID holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Chemical Engineering from The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. She also holds Diplomas in Project Management and Safety Management, Policies and Procedures. After a successful career in industry as an Operations Supervisor, Ms. Wahid joined academia in 2013 and currently holds the position of Instructor II in the Process Engineering Programme at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). She currently lectures in Mass Transfer, Industrial Processes and Process Safety courses, and oversees the Co-Op internship course. Ms. Wahid is currently pursuing an M.Phil. Degree in the area of Waste Minimisation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.