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Modeling 4-Chlorophenol Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Granular Activated Carbon

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Abstract

Since phenols and phenolic compounds in many industrial wastewaters are toxic organic contaminants for humans and aquatic life, to remove these compounds via the most efficient way is very important for environmental remediation treatment. In this context, almost all of the isotherm models (Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, Redlich–Peterson, Sips, and Khan) for adsorption in the literature were applied to explain the adsorption mechanism of 4-chlorophenol on activated carbon in this study. Also theoretical modeling data were obtained using model equations; interpolation and analysis of variance were made to compare data by using statistics software. In addition, the thermodynamic and kinetic studies for adsorption mechanism were included in the article. The adsorption of 4-chlorophenol on activated carbon fits well to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model than the pseudo-second-order, intraparticular diffusion and Bangham models. It is also indicated that 4-chlorophenol adsorption by granular activated carbon would be attributed to a type of transition between physical and chemical adsorption rather than a pure physical or chemical adsorption process. As a result, an environmental remediation problem and the adsorption mechanism on activated carbon that can be regarded as a solution to this problem are described and explained using the mathematical models and calculations in this study.

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Abbreviations

C 0 :

Initial 4-CP concentration (milligrams per liter)

C e :

Equilibrium liquid-phase concentration (milligrams per liter)

q e :

Equilibrium solid-phase concentration (milligrams per gram)

q :

Solid-phase concentration at time t (milligrams per gram)

q t :

Amount of 4-CP adsorbed at time t (milligrams per gram)

q m :

Theoretical maximum adsorption capacity (milligrams per gram)

q ms :

The Sips maximum adsorption capacity (milligrams per gram)

T :

Temperature (kelvin)

t :

Time (minutes)

k F and 1/n :

Constants of Freundlich isotherm

k L Q 0 :

Constants of Langmuir isotherm

b T a T :

Constants of Temkin isotherm

k S b S, a S :

Constants of Sips isotherm

Q o b k, a k :

Constants of Khan isotherm

k RP p e, a RP and g :

Constants of Redlich–Peterson isotherm

k 1 :

Rate constant of pseudo-first-order kinetic model (1/min)

k 2 :

Rate constant of pseudo-second-order kinetic model (grams per milligram minute)

β :

Constant in Elovich’s equation

k id :

Rate constant of intraparticle diffusion model (mg/g min0.5)

k b :

Constant in Bangham’s equation

C :

Constant that gives idea about the thickness of the boundary layer (milligrams per gram)

m :

Adsorbent mass per liter of solution (grams per liter)

m s :

The Sips model exponent

V :

Volume of solution (liters)

a :

Bangham constant (<1)

R :

Universal gas constant (8.314 J/mol K)

R L :

Dimensionless constant separation factor

∆G 0 :

Gibbs free energy of adsorption (kilojoules per mole)

∆H 0 :

Enthalpy of adsorption (kilojoules per mole)

∆S o :

Entropy of adsorption (joules per mole kelvin)

R 2 :

Regression correlation coefficient

K :

Equilibrium constant

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpasa Campus, 34220, Esenler, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mehmet Sinan Bilgili, Gamze Varank, Elif Sekman, Selin Top & Remziye Yazıcı

  2. Bioengineering Department, Faculty of Chemical–Metallurgical Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpasa Campus, 34220, Esenler, Istanbul, Turkey

    Didem Özçimen

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  1. Mehmet Sinan Bilgili
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  2. Gamze Varank
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  3. Elif Sekman
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  4. Selin Top
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Correspondence to Mehmet Sinan Bilgili.

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Bilgili, M.S., Varank, G., Sekman, E. et al. Modeling 4-Chlorophenol Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Granular Activated Carbon. Environ Model Assess 17, 289–300 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-011-9293-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-011-9293-z

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