Adsorption characteristics of Bisphenol-A on tailored activated carbon in aqueous solutions

The adsorption behavior of pharmaceuticals and personal care product, Bisphenol-A (BPA), according to four coal-based and four wood-based granular activated carbons modified using outgassing treatment, acidic treatment or alkaline treatment was studied. The adsorption isotherm results indicated that carbon surface acidity played a very important role in the adsorption of BPA. It was found that increasing surface acidity would increase the hydrogen bonding effects and increase adsorption of BPA on activated carbon. The acidic modified sample (F600-A and OLC-A) represented the best adsorption capacity, and the equilibrium adsorption amounts reached 346.42 and 338.55 mg/g, respectively. Further, effects of surface charge and surface basicity were examined. It was found that the adsorbed amount of BPA decreased with the increase of surface charge. Finally, there appeared to be a significant oligomerization phenomenon with BPA molecules onto the surface of activated carbon. OLC and OLC-OG, which have higher micropore percentages, are very effective in hampering the oligomerization of BPA under oxic conditions.