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Ethylenediamine-modified activated carbon for aqueous lead adsorption

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Abstract

This study is to develop a carbon-based adsorbent containing multiple functional ligands for effective removal of lead ions from aqueous media. Activated carbon was oxidized by nitric acid, followed by chlorination with thionyl chloride and reaction with ethylenediamine. Modified activated carbon (MAC) was characterized using scanning electron microscopy in conjunction of energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and potentiometric titration. Surface characterizations confirmed that carboxyl, amine, and chlorine functional groups were effectively introduced onto the carbon surface by the treatments. The modifications lowered the pH at the point of zero charge (pHpzc) from 9.6 to 2.55 and resulted in more negatively charged surfaces. Adsorptive experiments showed that aqueous Pb removal by MAC was faster, with a 62% higher capacity than the original activated carbon (60.2 vs. 37.2 mg g−1).

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Acknowledgments

Authors would thank Dr. Keith Goyne at University of Missouri for his technical support in FT-IR analyses. Financial supports for this research were provided by the USDA-CSREES (MOX-YANG), the USEPA-NCER-STAR (RD831071) to Lincoln University of Missouri, and the US-DOE (DE-FC26-02NT41607) to University of Missouri.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental Sciences, Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO, 65102, USA

    Jianzhong Zhu & John Yang

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Baolin Deng

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  1. Jianzhong Zhu
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  2. John Yang
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  3. Baolin Deng
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Correspondence to John Yang.

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Zhu, J., Yang, J. & Deng, B. Ethylenediamine-modified activated carbon for aqueous lead adsorption. Environ Chem Lett 8, 277–282 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-009-0217-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-009-0217-y

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