Preparation and characterization of activated carbon developed from cotton cloth residue activated with phosphoric acid: adsorption of clofibric acid

Abstract

Cotton cloth waste was used as a precursor to prepare activated carbon (ACCs) chemically activated with phosphoric acid. Adsorption behavior of ACCs prepared was correlated with physicochemical proprieties. The pore volume and BET surface of ACCs were determined by nitrogen adsorption isotherms and scanning electron microscopy was used to observe their surface morphologies. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and pH point zero charge (pHPZC) were conducted to determine chemical properties. Under the optimal conditions: 50% impregnation ratio and thermal treatment under N2 flow at 600 °C during 60 min, the activated carbon prepared exhibits a high surface area 1,150 m2/g, 0.501 cm3/g micropore volume and an excellent adsorption performances The adsorbed amount of clofibric acid is found to be 9.98 and 83 mg/g at respectively, initial CA concentration of 10 and 100 mg/L at pH 3.0 and 20 °C. Diffusion and chemisorption are the steps controlling the adsorption of CA onto ACC 50% and the equilibrium data were well described by Freundlich isotherm.

New biosorbents based on the seeds, leaves and husks powder of Moringa oleifera for the effective removal of various toxic pollutants

“…The pH of the zero charge point of the adsorbents (pH zpc ) is determined by following the variation of pH i =f(pH eq ) during the isotherm studies, knowing that, from several sorption experiments, we can conclude that, we can find this parameter by following approximately the pH eq of the different adsorbents as a function of initial pH or by "pH drift method [9]", This method was used by M.V. Lopez-Ramon et al (1999) and by K. Kadirvelu et al, (2000) [9][10][11].…”