Highly surface activated carbon to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solution with adsorbent recycling

Abstract

To enhance the inferior removal capability of aqueous Cr(VI) by commercial activated carbon under neutral conditions. The emerging ball milling technology was employed and the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) by ball-milled highly activated carbon (HAC) increased from 68.3% to 99.0% under pH 6 and from 42.7% to 77.8% under pH 7 compared to pristine activated carbon (AC), respectively. Raman spectra and Boehm's titration results signified that the enhanced Cr(VI) removal performance of HAC under neutral conditions was associated with the enriched surface acid functional groups, in which the content of COOH groups increased from 0.31 mmol/g to 0.97 mmol/g. Two Cr(VI) removal mechanisms were proposed established on the acid and alkalic solution washed chromium-loaded HAC, involving the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) subsequently accompany with the formation of chromium hydroxides on the surface and inside the pores of HAC, and the bonding of CrO42− on the surface COOH groups, as confirmed by SEM-EDX element mapping and specific surface area and porosity measurements. The Pseudo-second order model and Freundlich model fitted the adsorption kinetic and isotherm of AC and HAC well severally, suggesting that the specific interaction of Cr(VI) with the HAC surface and the Cr(VI) removal was multi-layer adsorption. Thermodynamic study exhibited the spontaneity of Cr(VI) removal on ball-milled HAC was increased. Reusability and regeneration studies of HAC denoted the potential application on Cr(VI) uptake under neutral conditions.