Sorption of chlorophenols from aqueous solution by granular activated carbon, filter coal, pine and hardwood

Abstract

Wood and coal, as low-cost sorbents, have been evaluated as an alternative to commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) for chlorophenol removal. Kinetic experiments indicated that filter coal had a significantly lower rate of uptake (∼ 10% of final uptake was achieved after three hours) than the other sorbents, owing to intra-particle diffusion limitations. The data fitted a pseudo-second-order model. Sorption capacity data showed that GAC had a high sorption capacity (294–467 mg g⁻¹) compared with other sorbents (3.2–7.5 mg g⁻¹). However, wood and coal had a greater sorption capacity per unit surface area than GAC. Sorption equilibrium data was best predicted using a Freundlich adsorption model. The sorption capacity for all sorbents was 2-chlorophenol<4-chlorophenol<2, 4-dichlorophenol, which correlates well with solute hydrophobicity, although the relative differences were much less for coal than the other sorbents. The results showed that pine, hardwood and filter coal can be used as sorbent materials for the removal of chlorophenol from water; however, kinetic considerations may limit the application of filter coal.

Keywords:

• chlorophenol
• intra-particle diffusion
• sorption
• granular activated carbon
• wood

Acknowledgements

The financial support of this research by the CRC-CARE Pty Ltd is gratefully acknowledged. The anonymous reviewers are thanked for their comments.