Skip to main content

Comparison of adsorption behavior of PCDD/Fs on carbon nanotubes and activated carbons in a bench-scale dioxin generating system

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 22, pages 10463–10470 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Porous carbon-based materials are commonly used to remove various organic and inorganic pollutants from gaseous and liquid effluents and products. In this study, the adsorption of dioxins on both activated carbons and multi-walled carbon nanotube was internally compared, via series of bench scale experiments. A laboratory-scale dioxin generator was applied to generate PCDD/Fs with constant concentration (8.3 ng I-TEQ/Nm3). The results confirm that high-chlorinated congeners are more easily adsorbed on both activated carbons and carbon nanotubes than low-chlorinated congeners. Carbon nanotubes also achieved higher adsorption efficiency than activated carbons even though they have smaller BET-surface. Carbon nanotubes reached the total removal efficiency over 86.8 % to be compared with removal efficiencies of only 70.0 and 54.2 % for the two other activated carbons tested. In addition, because of different adsorption mechanisms, the removal efficiencies of carbon nanotubes dropped more slowly with time than was the case for activated carbons. It could be attributed to the abundant mesopores distributed in the surface of carbon nanotubes. They enhanced the pore filled process of dioxin molecules during adsorption. In addition, strong interactions between the two benzene rings of dioxin molecules and the hexagonal arrays of carbon atoms in the surface make carbon nanotubes have bigger adsorption capacity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

References

  • Bansal RC, Goyal M (2010) Activated carbon adsorption. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang MB, Lin JJ (2001) Memory effect on the dioxin emissions from municipal waste incinerator in Taiwan. Chemosphere 45:1151–1157

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang MB, Chi KH, Chang-Chien GP (2004) Evaluation of PCDD/F congener distributions in MWI flue gas treated with SCR catalysts. Chemosphere 55:1457–1467

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang SH, Yeh JW, Chein HM, Hsu LY, Chi KH, Chang MB (2008) PCDD/F adsorption and destruction in the flue gas streams of MWI and MSP via Cu and Fe catalysts supported on carbon. Environ Sci Technol 42:5727–5733

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chi KH, Chang MB (2005) Evaluation of PCDD/F congener partition in vapor/solid phases of waste incinerator flue gases. Environ Sci Technol 39:8023–8031

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chi KH, Chang SH, Huang CH, Huang HC, Chang MB (2006) Partitioning and removal of dioxin-like congeners in flue gases treated with activated carbon adsorption. Chemosphere 64:1489–1498

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davoli E, Fattore E, Paiano V, Colombo A, Palmiotto M, Rossi AN, Grande M II, Fanelli R (2010) Waste management health risk assessment: a case study of a solid waste landfill in South Italy. Waste Manag 30:1608–1613

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1994) Method 1613 Revision B: Tetra- through octa-chlorinated dioxins and furans by isotope dilution HRGC/HRMS. http://yosemite.epa.gov/water/owrccatalog.nsf/7322259e90d060c885256f0a0055db68/d2967c045a3b082c85256b0600723f4d!opendocument Accessed 20 October 2014

  • Everaert K, Baeyens J, Creemers C (2003a) Adsorption of dioxins and furans from flue gases in an entrained flow or fixed/moving bed reactor. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 78:213–219

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Everaert K, Baeyens J, Degrève J (2003b) Entrained-phase adsorption of PCDD/F from incinerator flue gases. Environ Sci Technol 37:1219–1224

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagan SB, Santos EJG, Filho AGS, Filho JM, Fazzio A (2007) Ab initio study of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin adsorption on single wall carbon nanotubes. Chem Phys Lett 437:79–82

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fell HJ, Tuczek M (1998) Removal of dioxins and furans from flue gases by non-flammable adsorbents in a fixed bed. Chemosphere 37:2327–2334

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fugetsu B, Satoh S, Iles A, Tanaka K, Nishi N, Watari F (2004) Encapsulation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in Ba2+-alginate to form coated micro-beads and their application to the pre-concentration/elimination of dibenzo-p-dioxin, dibenzofuran, and biphenyl from contaminated water. Analyst 129:565–566

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goto M, Sasaki M, Kawahara S, Hirose T (2005) Adsorption behavior of dioxin model compounds on activated carbon in supercritical carbon dioxide. Adsorp-J Int Adsorpt Soc 111:157–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hung PC, Lo WC (2011) Reduction of dioxin emission by a multi-layer reactor with bead-shaped activated carbon in simulated gas stream and real flue gas of a sinter plant. Chemosphere 82:72–77

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iijima S (1991) Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon. Nature 354:56–58

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue K, Kawamoto K (2005) Fundamental adsorption characteristics of carbonaceous adsorbents for 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrachlorobenzene in a model gas of an incineration plant. Environ Sci Technol 39:5844–5850

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang HS (2005) Theoretical study of binding of metal-doped graphene sheet and carbon nanotubes with dioxin. J Am Chem Soc 127:9839–9843

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karademir A, Bakoglu M, Taspinar F, Ayberk S (2004) Removal of PCDD/Fs from flue gas by a fixed-bed activated carbon filter in a hazardous waste incinerator. Environ Sci Technol 38:1201–1207

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaupp H, McLachlan MS (1999) Gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PCNs and PAHs. Chemosphere 38:3411–3421

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Li Z, Luo LA (2005a) Adsorption isotherm and kinetics of dibenzofuran on granular activated carbons. Chin J Chem Eng 13:701–704

    Google Scholar 

  • Li XW, Shibata E, Nakamura T (2005b) Thermodynamic prediction of vapor pressures for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins. Environ Toxicol Chem 24:2167–2177

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Li Z, Luo LA (2008) Adsorption kinetics of dibenzofuran in activated carbon packed bed. Chin J Chem Eng 16:203–208

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long RQ, Yang RT (2001) Carbon nanotubes as superior sorbent for dioxin removal. J Am Chem Soc 123:2058–2059

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu C, Liu C (2006) Removal of nickel (II) from aqueous solution by carbon nanotubes. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 81:1932–1940

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mari M, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2009) Exposure to heavy metals and PCDD/Fs by the population living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste landfill in Catalonia, Spain: Health risk assessment. Environ Int 35:1034–1039

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagano S, Tamon H, Adzumi T, Nakagawa K, Suzuki T (2000) Activated carbon from municipal waste. Carbon 38:915–920

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Bureau of Statistics of China (2013) China Statistical Yearbook. China Statistics Press, Beijing. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/2013/indexch.htm. Accessed 26 September 2014

  • Ni Y, Zhang H, Fan S, Zhang X, Zhang Q, Chen J (2009) Emissions of PCDD/Fs from municipal solid waste incinerators in China. Chemosphere 75:1153–1158

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao GP, Lu C, Su F (2007) Sorption of divalent metal ions from aqueous solution by carbon nanotubes: a review. Sep Purif Technol 58:224–231

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tachimoto H, Abe I (2000) Gao SY (Trans.) (2002) Activated carbon application technology—the management and problems. Southeast University Press, Nanjing, in Chinese

    Google Scholar 

  • The People’s Republic of China (2007) National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. http://www.pops.int/documents/implementation/nips/submissions/China_NIP_En.pdf. Accessed 15 October 2014

  • Yang K, Zhu LZ, Xing BS (2006a) Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by carbon nanomaterials. Environ Sci Technol 40:1855–1861

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang MH, Park MS, Lee HS (2006b) Endocrine disrupting chemicals: human exposure and health risks. J Environ Sci Health-Environ Carcinog Ecotoxicol Rev 24:183–224

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work supported by the National Key Basic Research Development Program of China (973 program, no. 2011CB201500), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (no. 20120101110099), and the Fund of State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization of Zhejiang University (no. ZJUCEU2012009).

Conflict of interest

All authors have no competing financial interests.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, The College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zheda Road 38#, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Xujian Zhou, Xiaodong Li, Shuaixi Xu, Xiyuan Zhao, Mingjiang Ni & Kefa Cen

Authors
  1. Xujian Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaodong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shuaixi Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiyuan Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mingjiang Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kefa Cen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaodong Li.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Leif Kronberg

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, X., Li, X., Xu, S. et al. Comparison of adsorption behavior of PCDD/Fs on carbon nanotubes and activated carbons in a bench-scale dioxin generating system. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 10463–10470 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4180-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4180-9

Keywords

  • PCDD/Fs
  • Adsorption
  • Porous carbon materials
  • Activated carbons
  • Carbon nanotubes
  • Adsorption mechanism