The Impact of Carbon Surface Composition on the Diffusion and Adsorption of Paracetamol at Different Temperatures and at Neutral pH

Adsorption of emerging pollutants on activated carbon

Many emerging pollutants (also known as micro-pollutants) including pesticides, pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have frequently been detected in surface, ground, and drinking water at alarming concentrations. The emission and accumulation of these anthropogenic chemicals in nature is a potential threat to human health and aquatic environment. Therefore, it is essential to devise an effective and feasible technology to remove the micro-pollutants from water. Activated carbon adsorption has been introduced and utilized as a promising treatment to reduce the concentration of the emerging pollutants in water. A summary of research on the removal of pesticides, PPCPs, and EDCs by activated carbon adsorption process is presented in this report. The effects of carbon characteristics, adsorptive properties, and environmental factors on the adsorption capacity of activated carbon are reviewed. In addition, the mechanisms of the adsorption including hydrophobicity and the nature of the functional groups of activated carbon and organic compounds are discussed. Furthermore, the applied equilibrium adsorption isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich, BET, Sips, Dubinin-Astakhov, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Toth) and the most common kinetic models (pseudo-first- and second-order models, film and intra-particle diffusion models, and adsorption-desorption model) are also included for further investigation. This comprehensive review report aims to identify the knowledge deficiencies regarding emerging pollutant treatment via activated carbon adsorption process and open new horizons for the future research on the adsorption of emerging pollutants on activated carbon.

Adsorption of Biologically Active Compounds from Aqueous Solutions on to Commercial Unmodified Activated Carbons. Part IV. Do the Properties of Amphoteric Carbon Surface Layers Influence the Adsorption of Paracetamol at Acidic pH Levels?

Three previously characterised, unmodified commercial activated carbons (D43/1, WD and AHD), differing in porosity and surface layer composition, were further examined using some additional methods of surface chemical description (electrochemical studies, acid–base site distribution, pHPZC and resistance measurements). Paracetamol adsorption isotherms (as well as kinetic curves) were measured on these carbons at acidic pH (1.5) and three temperatures, i.e. 300, 310 and 320 K. Measurements of the enthalpies of immersion in HCl and paracetamol solutions were also performed at 310 K, and diffusion coefficients and energies calculated.

The results of measurements at acidic pH were compared with those obtained under neutral pH conditions. Some new correlations between the properties of the carbon surface and the constants characterising the process of paracetamol adsorption suggested recently were extended from data measured initially for six carbons. The mechanism of adsorption at both pH values was elaborated with the importance of surface carbonyls and basic groups being emphasised. The adsorption of the polymerisation product of paracetamol at acidic pH was determined using FT-IR and UV–vis spectroscopic measurements.

Adsorption of Biologically Active Compounds from Aqueous Solutions on to Commercial Unmodified Activated Carbons. Part III. Theoretical Description of Paracetamol Adsorption Data at Neutral pH

A theoretical description of recently published paracetamol adsorption data on a series of non-modified commercial activated carbons is presented. Nineteen of the most widespread adsorption isotherm equations are analysed and the resulting maximum adsorption values compared. The equations proposed by Weber and Vliet, by O'Brien and Myers as well as by Dubinin and Astakhov led to the highest values of the average correlation coefficient describing the fit of the theoretical data to those obtained experimentally. On the basis of the results obtained as well as those published previously, the importance of carbon surface basic groups and carbonyl groups in the mechanism of paracetamol adsorption is emphasised.

Effective diffusion coefficient determination within cylindrical granules of adsorbents using a direct simulation method

Analytical expressions for solute adsorption kinetics within porous carbon cylindrical granules of adsorbents with a one point formula for effective diffusion coefficient determination are available based on the assumption that solute transport is the rate limiting step and that it follows Fick's Second Law. Here the first practical application of this theory is provided with an initial, estimated diffusion coefficient refined by fitting calculated kinetic adsorption curves to experimental data determined for activated carbons. In an ideal experiment, experimental error (noise) is negligible, and no data refinement is needed. However, real experimental data are always more or less noise contaminated. Where such noise is significant, a simulation method offers the best value for effective diffusion coefficient. For this specific system, surface modification, pH and temperature effects on adsorption kinetics were analysed quantitatively as a basis of determining effective diffusion coefficients through the porous structure.

Simple expressions for diffusion coefficient determination of adsorption within spherical and cylindrical absorbents using direct simulation method

Various analytical expressions for solute adsorption kinetics within porous absorbents of defined geometry (planar sheet, cylinder, and sphere) are available in the literature. However, these expressions are limited for practical numerical evaluation because they are based on infinite series. An investigation of these expressions has been carried out and then accurate but simple expressions derived that enable rapid determination of effective diffusion coefficients for adsorption within geometrically categorical absorbents. These involve directly fitting calculated kinetic adsorption curves to experimental ones. A simple one point method is also proposed to estimate the effective diffusion coefficient for an adsorption process within these simple geometrical absorbents as an initial value for a best fit.

Some remarks on the calculation of the pore size distribution function of activated carbons

Different authors investigated the effects of geometric and energetic heterogeneities on adsorption and on carbon characterization methods. In most theoretical studies carbon structure is modeled as parallel infinite graphite walls that form ideal slit-shaped pores of the fixed widths. In the literature there is the lack of systematic studies showing the influence of pore structural and Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential parameters on the pore-size distribution functions. Moreover, the parameters characterizing the properties of the adsorbed phase and the heterogeneity of the adsorbent surface should be taken into account. The Nguyen and Do method with proposed by us ASA algorithm, were utilized for the assessment of the porosity from the series of almost few thousands numerically generated local adsorption isotherms. The values of the mentioned-above parameters are varied over the wide range (ca. +/-20%) of the reference ones. Different types of the theoretical and experimental adsorption isotherms (nitrogen at 77 K) were taken into account as the global ones. They were related to the mechanism of the primary, secondary or mixed micropore filling. The variations in some above-mentioned parameters have significant effects only for PSDs (and for average pore widths) corresponding to the primary micropore filling mechanism. On the other hand, for the process of the secondary micropore filling, the influence of these parameters (without the BET coefficient for adsorption on a "flat" surface, c(s,B)) is rather insignificant. Nevertheless the differences between local and global adsorption isotherms (in the whole range of relative pressures) the absence of micropores having pore half width equal to ca. 1 nm on PSDs was observed for studied adsorbate-adsorbent systems with exceptions of the strictly microporous adsorbents and/or the low values of c(s,B). Comparison of the experimental data with the generated theoretical isosteric enthalpy of adsorption indicates that the phenomenal uptake observed from experiment can be explained in terms of the reasonable solid-fluid interaction parameters. Therefore, we varied the heterogeneity of the adsorbent surface via the strength and the range of the solid-fluid potential and the parameter c(s,B) in order to reproduce the experimental data of enthalpy of adsorption. Note that similar procedure was applied by Wang and Johnson to reproduce some hydrogen adsorption data measured for carbon nanofibres. The analysis of the obtained results shows that the selection of the values of the parameters of the intermolecular interactions and the quantities characterizing the properties of the adsorbed phase and the heterogeneity of the adsorbent walls for molecular simulations should be made with care and the influence of possible errors should be considered.

Effect of the carbon surface layer chemistry on benzene adsorption from the vapor phase and from dilute aqueous solutions

We present a complex study of benzene adsorption on chemically modified commercial activated carbons. The porosity of studied carbons is almost the same, whereas the chemical composition and the acid-base properties of surface layers differ drastically from amphoteric (initial de-ashed carbon D43/1, Carbo-Tech, Essen, Germany) and acidic (carbon modified with concentrated HNO3 and fuming H2SO4) to strongly basic (carbon modified with gaseous NH3). Benzene adsorption isotherms measured from aqueous solution at three temperatures (298, 313, and 323 K) and at the neutral pH level are reported. They are supported by studies of water and benzene adsorption from the gaseous phase (volumetric and calorimetric data) and the data of benzene temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). Moreover, the data of the enthalpy of immersion in water and benzene are also presented. Obtained data of benzene adsorption from the gaseous phase are approximated by applying the method of Nguyen and Do (ND) and the Dubinin-Astakhov (DA) equation. The data of adsorption from solution are described by the hybrid DA-Freundlich (DA-F) model. We show that there are similarities in the mechanisms of benzene adsorption from the gaseous phase and from aqueous solutions and that the pore-blocking effect is the main stage of the adsorption mechanism. This effect strongly depends on the polarity of the carbon surface. The larger the ratio of the enthalpy of carbon immersion in water to the enthalpy of immersion in benzene, the larger the reduction in adsorption from solution, compared to that in the gaseous phase, that is observed.

Further insights into the role of carbon surface functionalities in the mechanism of phenol adsorption

The presented study describes the temperature as well as pH dependence of phenol adsorption (and adsorption kinetics) on four carbons with different chemical compositions of the surface layer but almost identical porosity. In the first part, it is shown, applying the most sophisticated method of carbon porosity characterization (i.e., the method of Do and co-workers-ND method), that the porosity does not change much after the chemical modification of carbons. Then it is shown that the ND method leads to the same results as the DFT (density functional theory) does. Next, the TPD results for D43/1 carbons (initial, modified with HNO(3), fuming H(2)SO(4), and with NH(3)) are described. The TPD results for carbon modified with fuming sulphuric acid has not been reported yet by others. The deconvolution of peaks is performed. The obtained results, together with those already published, lead to the chemical structures of surface functionalities for all studied carbons. The thermogravimetric analysis of phenol adsorption shows that the amount of chemically bonded molecules is small. Then it is shown that the adsorption at the acidic pH (1.5) level is lower for all studied carbons than that at the neutral one. The description of the isotherms applying adsorbability, quasi-Freundlich and DA models, together with enthalpy measurements, lead to the mechanism of phenol adsorption at both pH values. The mechanism is, furthermore, confirmed by some empirical correlations. The analysis of the average hysteresis on adsorption-desorption isotherms as well as the comparison of phenol adsorption in oxic and anoxic conditions leads to the mechanism of irreversible phenol adsorption. It is suggested that the irreversibility is caused by two effects: the creation of strong complexes between phenol and surface carbonyl and lactones as well as by the polymerization. The last effect is due to the ability of carbon to adsorb the oxygen from solution and form superoxo ions. Finally, the kinetics is considered. The analytical solution of Fick's law of diffusion for adsorption in cylindrical particles is applied, the diffusion coefficients are calculated. It is shown that phenol diffusion is mixed between a surface process and a pore one. The obtained energy of diffusion is correlated with the values of the physicochemical parameters of studied carbons. As a final point, it is concluded that the mechanism of phenol adsorption is not only determined by so called "pi-pi interactions" and "donor-acceptor complex formation" but also by (strongly depending on temperature) the "solvent effect" balancing the influence of the two mentioned factors on this mechanism.

Molecular properties and intermolecular forces—factors balancing the effect of carbon surface chemistry in adsorption of organics from dilute aqueous solutions

Presented paper recapitulates the results of 6 years' study concerning the effect of carbon surface chemical composition on adsorption of paracetamol, phenol, acetanilide, and aniline from dilute aqueous solutions on carbons. Adsorption-desorption isotherms, enthalpy, and kinetics of adsorption data are shown for the measurements performed at three temperatures (300, 310, and 320 K) at two pH levels (1.5 and 7) on commercial activated carbons. The data were obtained for four carbons: the initial carbon D43/1 and forms modified by applying concentrated HNO3, fuming H2SO4, and gaseous NH3. The modification procedures do not change the porosity in a drastic way, but lead to drastic changes of the composition of carbon surface layer. By applying MOPAC (a general-purpose semiempirical molecular orbital package), the physicochemical constants characterizing the molecules of adsorbates are calculated, including the distribution of the Mulliken charges, the dipole moments and ionization potentials, and the energies of interaction with the unique positive and negative charges. They are correlated with the parameters characterizing the adsorption (and kinetics) process of studied molecules on the mentioned above carbons. The mechanisms proposed in the literature for the description of adsorption from dilute aqueous solutions are verified, and a general mechanism of adsorption is proposed.

The effect of carbon surface chemical composition on the adsorption of acetanilide

The study of acetanilide adsorption-desorption performed at three temperatures (300, 310, and 320 K) and at two pH levels (7.0 and 1.5) on the series of D43/1 carbons (initial and modified with HNO3, fuming H2SO4, and gaseous NH3) is reported. Sorption data are additionally supplemented with the results of thermal analysis and calorimetric and kinetic measurements. It is shown that, generally, acetanilide adsorption at the neutral pH level is reversible (only on the more acidic carbons and at the lowest temperature does hysteresis occur due to the formation of hydrogen bonds with surface OH groups), and it decreases for the chemically modified carbons. In contrast, at the acidic pH level acetanilide adsorption is irreversible. A mechanism of irreversibility is proposed and it is shown that hysteresis is caused by the chemical reaction between the nucleophile (carbon) and the protonized acetanilide molecules. For all studied carbons, at the acidic pH level, adsorption increases and this is caused by the weakly basic character of acetanilide molecule. Adsorption results are described applying adsorbability and Dubinin-Astakhov, quasi-Freundlich and solution analogue of the Toth adsorption isotherm equations. Using the kinetic data, the effective diffusion coefficients and the energy of diffusion are calculated. It is shown that the diffusion is mainly a surface process, and the contribution of the pore diffusion increases with the rise in temperature. By applying different correlations between the parameters obtained from the theoretical description of experimental data and those characterizing the chemical composition of the studied carbons, the role of the latter in the adsorption and kinetics of acetanilide adsorption is determined.

Developing the solution analogue of the Toth adsorption isotherm equation

The well-known Toth adsorption isotherm equation developed formerly for adsorption of vapors is converted into its solution analogue. It is shown that this equation can be successfully applied to the description of adsorption data of organics on activated carbons.

The Simple Procedure of the Calculation of Diffusion Coefficient for Adsorption on Spherical and Cylindrical Adsorbent Particles—Experimental Verification

A recently proposed simplified procedure for calculating the effective diffusion coefficient (D(e)) for adsorption on spherical and cylindrical adsorbent particles is now experimentally verified for adsorption systems: paracetamol-activated carbon. Adsorption kinetics was measured on nine carbons; for seven of them, measurements were taken at three temperatures. Since for adsorption on spherical adsorbent particles the approximate methods of D(e) calculation are already available in literature, only two systems have been studied, and the results of the new procedure are compared with those calculated from previously published methods. However, for cylinders the proposed method is the first simplification of this kind available in literature, thus, we focus our attention on the comparison of the results of the analytical approach with the simplified approaches for the systems where an adsorbent possesses cylindrically shaped granules. It is shown that for adsorption on spherical as well as on cylindrical adsorbent granules the proposed simplification leads to satisfactory results that, taking into account an experimental error, are practically the same as those obtained from exact time-consuming and mathematically advanced numerical fitting procedure. It is also shown that, for the studied carbons, the surface diffusion process dominates, and this explains the recently obtained correlation between the effective diffusion coefficient and the enthalpy of carbon immersion in water.

Describing Adsorption of Paracetamol from Aqueous Solution on Carbons While Utilizing the Most Widespread Isotherm Models—The Impact of Surface Carbonyl and Basic Groups

The 15 most widespread adsorption isotherm equations are applied for describing recently published paracetamol adsorption data from aqueous solutions (pH 7). Twelve adsorption isotherms, measured at 300, 310, and 320 K, on the series of chemically modified carbons D43/1 (Carbo-Tech, Essen, Germany) differing in surface properties (from basic to strongly acidic) but possessing almost the same porosity, are analyzed. The results of fitting theoretical models to experimental data are arranged according to a decrease in the average value of the determination coefficient. From the models studied the best fit is obtained for Weber-Vliet, Dubinin-Astakhov, and the model published by Jossens. The most important conclusion is that at the lowest temperature studied, where the effect of carbon surface composition on adsorption properties is the most strongly marked, the value of paracetamol maximal adsorption decreases as the amount of surface basic groups and carbonyls increases.