This paper studies the thermodynamic aspects of the processes of adsorption of phenol from dilute aqueous solutions on different commercial carbons, evaluating how to optimize the removal of this persistent contaminant. Two powdered activated carbons from two different companies were used: Tetrahedron Carbon (Andes Chemistry Lab., Mendoza, Argentina), and Norit (Norit Americas Inc., USA). Both specific surface areas were measured by means of the BET method. The adsorbate was high purity solid phenol (Fluka ® ≥ 99.5%). Experimental isotherms were determined at 293 K, 303 K and 313 K. The Freundlich and Sips theoretical models were used to fit the experimental data. Freundlich isotherm slightly diverges with the experimental results for higher equilibrium concentrations. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and correlated with the adsorption behaviours. The values of the thermodynamic parameters obtained indicate an exothermic and spontaneous process for both carbons, and mainly for Norit. This is due to the fact that there might be chemically activated regions on the surface of the Norit carbon, which give rise to combined mechanisms of physisorption and chemisorption.

Physical adsorption of phenol on graphite is studied through canonical (CEMC) and grand canonical (GCMC) ensembles Monte Carlo computer simulations in a wide temperature range. Adsorbate-adsorbent interactions are modeled by employing the well-known potential developed by Steele. Adsorbate-adsorbate interactions include dispersion and electrostatic interactions. Phenol's dipole moment is modeled by placing partial charges over all the atoms of the molecule calculated with AM1 method using 34 orbitals. The effect of electrostatic interactions upon the adsorption process and adsorbed film structure will be discussed. Several features of the gas-solid and gas-gas interaction potentials will be presented. Phenol crosssectional area is evaluated at different temperatures. The structure of the adsorbed phase is also investigated.

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In order to analyze the adsorption capacities of different solid substrates, we present a multi-step method to separately study the isotherm at different pressure ranges (steps). The method is based on simple gas isotherm measurements (nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, argon, and oxygen) and is tested to describe the adsorption process and characterize a graphitized surface (GCB) and two different granular activated carbons (GAC). The GCB isotherms are described as a sum of Fowler-Guggenheim-Langmuir shifted curves; isotherm behaviors are quite similar at different temperatures, but change below a certain threshold. In GAC the first steps show the same adsorption characteristics at low pressures (Dubinin's description), but this behavior changes at higher pressure regimes, which allows one to elucidate how heterogeneous the surfaces are or how strong the interactions between adsorbed molecules are for this marginal adsorption to occur. We tested different approaches (from BET multilayer to Aranovich) and found quite different features. We finally conclude that if the description of the adsorption on complex substrates, such as those presented here, is carried using only one model, e. g. Dubinin in case of GACs, the resulting characteristics of the adsorbent would be very biased.