A NEW PHENOLIC HYDROXYL MODIFIED POLYSTYRENE ADSORBENT FOR THE REMOVAL OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS FROM THEIR AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Abstract

A new phenolic hydroxyl modified polystyrene adsorbent (AM-1) was synthesized for the removal of phenolic compounds from their aqueous solutions. This new adsorbent can be used directly without the wetting pretreatment. A comparison of the sorption properties of the AM-1 and the commercial Amberlite XAD-4 toward four phenolic compounds, phenol, p-cresol, p-chlorophenol, and p-nitrophenol, was made. The capacities of equilibrium adsorption of AM-1 for all four phenolic compounds were around two times higher than that of Amberlite XAD-4, which may be contributed to the presence of phenol hydroxyl group on the surface and the unique pore structure of AM-1. Freundlich isotherm equations and the values of isosteric adsorption enthalpies for the four phenolic compounds indicated a physical adsorption mechanism on both adsorbents. Column studies showed that both the breakthrough adsorption capacity and the total adsorption capacity of phenol on AM-1 were higher than on Amberlite XAD-4 while less acetone was needed for desorbing phenol from AM-1 than from Amberlite XAD-4.

Keywords:

• Polymeric adsorbent
• Phenolic compound
• Adsorption
• Synthesis
• Adsorption enthalpy

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The work was supported by the Science and Technology Council, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. The authors wish to express their appreciation to the Analytical Center at Changzhou Petro-Chemical College for the measurement of surface area and pore diameter, and the Analytical Center at Yancheng Teachers College for the IR and elemental analysis. Special thanks go to Dr. Boru Zhu at the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbaba-Champaign for his help in the preparation of the manuscript.