Adsorption of BTEX from aqueous solution by macroreticular resins

Theoretical and experimental investigations were conducted on the adsorption of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) by macroreticular resins. A mass transfer model based on the squared-driving force principle is presented for describing the BTEX transfer between the aqueous and solid phases. Also proposed is a theoretical model for describing the BTEX breakthrough curves of the adsorption column. While the mass transfer model involves only an overall mass transfer coefficient, the column adsorption model has two model parameters. Those parameters are conveniently estimated using the observed mass transfer and breakthrough data. The predictions using the proposed models were found to compare well with the experimental data of batch and column BTEX adsorption tests.