Carbon Nano Spheres were synthesized using three different transition metals (Ni, Zn & Co) as catalyst in a thermal catalytic vapor reactor using natural non-edible Castor oil as the carbon source. After purification of yielded carbon it was characterized by high resolution scanning electronic microscope (HRSEM) to know its morphology and by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy to know the structural details. The results reveal that castor oil when pyrolyzed in presence of Co as catalyst at 9000 C it synthesized carbon nanotubes along with some carbon nano spheres. Use of Zn resulted in formation of smooth walled spherical nano to micro sized carbon. Ni Use of Ni resulted in formation of carbon nano beads, some of them had Ni encapsulated into the beads. The graphitic nature both CNT and Beads were confirmed by XRD. The possible use of carbon nano-sphere in adsorbing Arsenic present in water was assessed. It was found that carbon nano-spheres prepared using Co as catalyst could adsorb as much as 49% Arsenic in 12 hr of exposure; though they had same surface area as the carbon nano-spheres prepared using Zn (30.88 m2/gm).
