Removal of trace organic compounds from multicomponent liquid mixtures. I. Adsorption of surfactant mixtures on activated carbon

Abstract

This study shows how trace amounts of surfactants are adsorbed by activated carbon under competitive conditions in aqueous solution. Surfactants used as adsorbates are sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and eicosaneoxyethylene hexadecyl ether (POE). Activated carbon used as an adsorbent is Pittsburgh activated carbon. Adsorption isotherms on the activated carbon were all Freundlich-type, both in the multi-solute system and in the mono-solute systems. The total adsorbed amount in the multi-solute system increases linearly with increasing molar fraction of SDS in the initial concentration. Thus, the total adsorbed amount in the multi-solute system can be estimated by the Freundlich constants, which can be determined from the single-solute equilibrium adsorptions, and molar fractions of adsorbates in the initial concentration.