Adsorptive removal of phenols by Fe(III)/Cr(III) hydroxide, an industrial solid waste

Abstract

Phenolics have recently been of great concern because of the extreme toxicity and persistency in the environment. Laboratory investigations of the potential use of Fe(III)/Cr(III) hydroxide as an adsorbent for the removal of bisphenol A and 2-aminophenol from aqueous solution were conducted. The operating variables studied are agitation time, initial concentration, adsorbent dose, pH and temperature. Equilibrium data follow Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherms. The Langmuir adsorption capacity of untreated and pretreated adsorbent was found to be 3.47 and 3.67 mg g−1, respectively, for bisphenol A; and 2.94 and 6.03 mg g−1 for 2-aminophenol. Adsorption was analyzed using first order, second order and Elovich kinetic models and the data were found to follow second order and Elovich kinetic models for the adsorption of bisphenol A by untreated adsorbent and first order and Elovich kinetic models for the adsorption of 2-aminophenol by untreated adsorbent. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG 0, ΔH 0 and ΔS 0 for the adsorption were evaluated.