Activated carbons chemically modified by concentrated H2SO4 for the adsorption of the pollutants from wastewater and the dibenzothiophene from fuel oils

The surface properties, porosities, and adsorption capacities of activated carbons (AC) are modified by the oxidation treatment using concentrated H2SO4 at temperatures 150-270 degreesC. The modified AC was characterized by N-2 adsorption, base titration, FTIR, and the adsorption of iodine, chlorophenol, methylene blue, and dibenzothiophene. The treatment of AC with concentrated H2SO4 at 250 degreesC greatly increases the mesoporous volume from 0.243 mL/g to 0.452 mL/g, specific surface areas from 393 m(2)/g to 745 m(2)/g, and acidic surface oxygen complexes from 0.071 meq/g to 1.986 meq/g as compared with the unmodified AC. The base titration results indicate that the amount of acidic surface oxygen groups on the modified AC increases with increasing the treatment temperatures and carboxyls and phenols are the most abundant carbon-oxygen functional groups. The carboxyl groups, COO- species, and hydroxyl groups are detected mainly for the sample treated at 250 degreesC. The mesoporous properties of the AC modified by concentrated H2SO4 were further tested by the adsorption of methylene blue and dibenzothiophene. The AC modified by concentrated H2SO4 at 250 degreesC has much higher adsorption capacities for large molecules (e.g., methylene blue and dibenzothiophene) than the unmodified AC but less adsorption capacities for small molecules (e.g., iodine). The adsorption results from aqueous solutions have been interpreted using Freundlich adsorption models.

Adsorption of dodecatungstosilicic acid on to activated carbons from aqueous and acidic media

Heteropoly acids (HPAs), such as dodecatungstosilicic acid (SiW12), adsorb strongly on to activated carbons. The surface chemical properties of the activated carbons have a pronounced effect on the adsorption of HPAs. To obtain activated carbons with the desired surface chemical properties, modification with mineral acids has been applied. The adsorption isotherms of SiW12 from aqueous solution and various acidic media on to the various carbons have been studied. On the basis of the results obtained, an adsorption model for HPAs from acidic media is presented.

Adsorption of PMo12 and SiMo12 on activated carbon in aqueous and acidic media

In various acidic media, such as H2SO4, HCl, H3PO4, acetic acid of 3 M in hydrogen ion concentration, and pure acetic acid, the adsorption of heteropolyacids composed of molybdenum with the Keggin structures PMo12 and SiMo12 on different activated carbons is studied. In acidic media, the adsorbed amount of heteropolyacids is much higher than that in water. By considering the relation between adsorbed amount and the acid strength of the media, as far as SiMo12 and PMo12 are concerned, there exist different trends.