• Carbon letters
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.13-21
• /
• 2010

Coconut shell activated carbon (CSAC) was investigated for its ability in the removal of two neutral chlorinated organic compounds, namely trichloroethylene (TCE) and dichloromethane (DCM) from aqueous solution using a packed bed column. The efficiency of the prepared activated carbon was also compared with a commercial activated carbon (CAC). The important design parameters such as flow rate and bed height were studied. In all the cases the lowest flow rate (5 mL/min) and the highest bed height (25 cm) resulted in maximum uptake and per cent removal. The experimental data were analysed using bed depth service time model (BDST) and Thomas model. The regeneration experiments including about five adsorption-desorption cycles were conducted. The suitable elutant selected from batch regeneration experiments (25% isopropyl alcohol) was used to desorb the loaded activated carbon in each cycle.

• Advances in environmental research
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.231-251
• /
• 2014

The present study examines the phosphate adsorption potential and behavior of mixture of Ground Burnt Patties (GBP), a solid waste generated from cooking fuel used in earthen stoves and Red Soil (RS), a natural substance in fixed bed column mode operation. The characterization of adsorbent was done by Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), and Proton Induced ${\gamma}$-ray Emission (PIGE) methods. The FTIR spectroscopy of spent adsorbent reveals the presence of absorbance peak at $1127cm^{-1}$ which appears due to P = O stretching, thus confirming phosphate adsorption. The effects of bed height (10, 15 and 20 cm), flow rate (2.5, 5 and 7.5 mL/min) and initial phosphate concentration (5 and 15 mg/L) on breakthrough curves were explored. Both the breakthrough and exhaustion time increased with increase in bed depth, decrease in flow rate and influent concentration. Thomas model, Yoon-Nelson model and Modified Dose Response model were used to fit the column adsorption data using nonlinear regression analysis while Bed Depth Service Time model followed linear regression analysis under different experimental condition to evaluate model parameters that are useful in scale up of the process. The values of correlation coefficient ($R^2$) and the Sum of Square Error (SSE) revealed the Modified Dose Response model as the best fitted model to the experimental data. The adsorbent mixture responded effectively to the desorption and reusability experiment. The results of this finding advocated that mixture of GBP and RS can be used as a low cost, highly efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal from aqueous solution.