Abstrait

Batch and Column Studies for Phenol Removal from Aqueous Solutions using Laboratory prepared Low-Cost Activated Carbon as an Adsorbent

Lallan SY, Bijay KM and Arvind K

The removal of phenol was studied using laboratory prepared activated carbons namely crab eye activated carbon (CEAC) using as a precursor crab eye (Abrus Precatorios) in a batch and column process. The effects of various parameters such as adsorbent dose, pH and temperature and contact time were investigated. Five kinetic models (pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intraparticle diffusion, Elovich and Bangham models) were tested to fit the experimental data. Among them Pseudo-second-order kinetic model was found to best fit representing the adsorption kinetic data. The Freundlich, Langmuir, Tempkin and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models were fitted to the experimental data of phenol adsorption. The different thermodynamic parameters such Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy have also been estimated. The effects of important factors namely the flow rate (5 ml/min-15 ml/min), bed height (15 cm–25 cm) and influent concentration of phenol (50–15 mg/l) were studied in continuous fixed-bed adsorption for the removal of phenol from aqueous solution in crab eye activated carbon bed. Thomas, Adams-Bohart and Yoon-Nelson kinetics models were tested to experimental data for the prediction of the breakthrough point and to determine the characteristic parameters of the column.