Phenol Adsorption on Activated Carbon

Abstract

Adsorbents are obtained on the basis of coke fines (<8 mm) produced by the slow coking of heavy petroleum residues, by activation. Activation employs water vapor and potassium hydroxide, in various conditions. For all the activated carbon samples and also for AG-3 industrial activated carbon, the iodine number is determined, and experiments are conducted on the adsorption of phenol from aqueous solutions, over a broad concentration range (0.1–500 mg/dm3). The experimental results are used to plot a standardized isotherm of phenol sorption on the activated samples. The parameters of the Arrhenius equation (limiting adsorption, adsorption equilibrium constant) are presented.