Adsorption kinetics of synthetic organic contaminants onto superfine powdered activated carbon. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Partlan, Erin; Ren, Yiran; Apul, Onur G.; Ladner, David A.; Karanfil, Tanju
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 253(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Activated carbon -- Adsorption kinetics -- Synthetic organic chemicals -- Superfine activated carbon -- Pulverization -- Natural organic matter; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126628
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Superfine powdered activated carbon (S-PAC) is an adsorbent material with the promise of properties that allow for rapid adsorption of small molecule contaminants. To explore the potential for rapid adsorption among varying activated carbon types, seven commercially available activated carbons were obtained and pulverized to produce S-PAC particles less than 1 μm in diameter. The carbons were chosen to include several types of common carbons produced from coal precursors as well as a wood-based carbon and a coconut shell-based carbon. In this study, the S-PACs and their parent PACs were tested for the adsorption of three aromatic compounds—2-phenylphenol, biphenyl, and phenanthrene—with and without the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). Adsorption rates were increased for adsorption onto S-PAC as compared to PAC in all trials without NOM and in most trials with NOM. Faster adsorption onto S-PAC was found to be a result of a smaller particle size, lower surface oxygen content, larger pore diameters, and neutral pHPZC . Adsorption of a planar compound, phenanthrene, increased the most between PAC and S-PAC, while adsorption of 2-phenylphenol, a nonplanar compound, was impacted the least. Phenanthrene additionally was minimally impacted by the presence of NOM while 2-phenylphenol adsorption declined severely in the presence of NOM. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Aromatic compound adsorption kinetics measured on seven types of PAC and S-PAC. Comparative kinetics correlated with physicochemical characteristics of adsorbents. Shifts towards macro- and meso-pore sizes in S-PAC assists kinetics improvement. Decreased concentration of surface oxygen on S-PAC assists kinetics improvement.