Water pollution due to the fuel additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), which is a suspected carcinogen, is often observed in surface and ground water. The removal of MTBE from aqueous solution at a concentration of 0.00143 g/mL by using exfoliated graphite (EG) as a novel adsorbent is reported. Experiments are carried out in batch mode and the effects of several factors on the removal of MTBE are evaluated. In addition, the influence of ultrasound irradiation on MTBE adsorption is investigated. The results show that an efficient removal of MTBE from aqueous solution could be achieved by implementing an ultrasound facilitated adsorption process using EG. A maximum removal efficiency of 97 % is achieved for MTBE in controlled conditions and it is found that applying ultrasound has a significant positive effect on the removal of MTBE from aqueous solutions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.