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A novel activated carbon prepared from grapefruit peel and its application in removal of phenolic compounds
Xiao Liu1, Yibei Wan1, Penglei Liu1
1School of Chemical Engineering and Energy, Zhengzhou University, 100# of Kexue Road, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
Abstract:
The most ideal conditions for preparing activated carbon from grapefruit peel (GPAC) were studied using NH4H2PO4 as a chemical activating agent and the obtained material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The adsorption capacity of the resulting material has been checked using three phenolic compounds (pyrocatechol (CA), 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP)). The adsorption characteristics of phenolic compounds from aqueous solution by GPAC have been investigated as a function of contact time, pH, initial concentration and temperature. The equilibrium experimental data fitted well with Freundlich and Koble-Corrigan isotherms. The adsorption of the three phenolic compounds on GPAC fitted well with pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Different thermodynamic parameters were also evaluated and it was found that the adsorption was spontaneous, feasible and endothermic in nature. Adsorbents were regenerated by 0.1 mol/L NaOH and GPAC could be reused in phenolic compounds removal.
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