Amine functionalized and Fe3O4 incorporated activated carbon for bisphenol-A separation.

Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) is the most commonly used adsorbent for water purification, although the dispersive nature of AC in aqueous solution poses a serious problem. To overcome this limitation, AC was magnetized with iron oxide using iron salts as precursor. Further to enhance its effectiveness, it was impregnated with Aliquat 336. Different characterization techniques (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), along with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)) were used to analyze the adsorbent. Furthermore, the value of the pH at which the overall charge on the surface of the adsorbent is neutral was found by pH drift method. The modified form of the activated carbon was used to treat the aqueous solution of bisphenol-A in the batch as well as in the continuous mode of operation. In batch mode, the data were validated using equilibrium and kinetic models, and in continuous mode, data were fitted with the Thomas, Adams-Bohart, and bed depth service time (BDST) fixed bed adsorption models. Also, the changes in Gibb's free energy, enthalpy, and entropy were estimated from the temperature study. The design of an adsorption column is proposed to treat 10,000 L/day of an industrial effluent containing BPA.