Removal of phenols from water and petroleum industry refinery effluents by activated carbon obtained from coconut coir pith

Abstract

Coir pith obtained from the coir industry as waste biomass was used to prepare activated carbon by chemical activation using phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ). The influences of activation temperature and lasting time of activation on specific surface areas (SSA) of the activated carbons were observed. Physical characteristics of the activated carbon were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), surface area analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal analysis and potentiometric titration. The feasibility of using activated carbon for the removal of phenol (P), p-chlorophenol (PCP) and pnitrophenol (PNP) from water and petroleum refinery industry effluents was investigated. The effects of contact time, adsorbent dose, ionic strength and initial concentration on the adsorption of phenols onto the activated carbon were investigated. The optimum pH for the maximum removal of phenols was 6.0. The equilibrium adsorption data of phenols were correlated to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, the latter being the best fit of the experimental data. Dynamics of the sorption process and mass transfer were investigated using McKay and Urano-Tachikawa models. Adsorption kinetic data fits the Urano-Tachikawa kinetic model. The utility of the adsorbent was tested by using petroleum refinery industry effluent. The adsorbed phenols can be recovered by treatment with 0.1 M NaOH solution.

Surface Modification of Commercial Activated Carbon (CAG) for the Adsorption of Benzene and Toluene

“…The intensity of the bands of CA-2 in the region that characterizes the carboxylic groups is greater than of CA-1 sample showing a largest concentration of these compounds after acid treatment. Similar results were found in other studies of adsorption of aromatic compounds by activated carbon [39]. Figure 2 show the percentage removal efficiency (ER,%) of benzene and toluene obtained from adsorption kinetics tests.…”

Enzymatic oxidative transformation of phenols byTrametes trogiilaccases

“…Therefore, they represent a serious environmental problem and must be efficiently eliminated, to preserve the environment. Currently, many physical and chemical methods are available for phenol-rich effluent decontamination, including adsorption on activated carbon [3], chemical oxidation [4,5], solvent extraction [6,7] and electrochemical oxidation [8,9]. These conventional methods of dephenolization are often expensive, incomplete, applicable in a limited range of concentrations and generate hazardous by-products [10].…”

Impact of salinity and dispersed oil on adsorption of dissolved aromatic hydrocarbons by activated carbon and organoclay

“…While a number of of particular interest to researchers, with studies demonstrating removal capacities as high as 161 mg/g [19], 238 mg/g [18], and 322 mg/g [1] from distilled water. While studies of activated carbon adsorption in industrial wastewater are rare, a few authors have noted a reduction in adsorption capacity in petroleum refinery wastewater [6] and resin manufacturing wastewater [32].…”