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Removal of Phenolic Compounds from Aqueous Solutions Using Sludge-Based Activated Carbons Prepared by Conventional Heating and Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis

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Abstract

Sludge-derived activated carbons (ACs) were prepared by conventional heating and microwave pyrolysis. The ACs were characterized using several analytical and functional techniques and used for removal of six phenolic compounds from aqueous solutions. The adsorbents exhibited similar features and possessed hydrophobic surfaces. The ACs were assigned mesoporous materials, with specific surface areas of up to 641 and 540 m2 g−1 for CAC-500 and MAC-980, respectively. The preliminary results indicated that phenol removal onto the ACs increased in the order: m-cresol < phenol < o-cresol < 2-chrorophenol < 2-nitrophenol < hydroquinone. Hydroquinone exhibited the highest adsorption capacity and was chosen to continue the remaining part of the experimental work—kinetic and isothermal studies. The adsorption kinetic and isotherm data were well described by the Avrami fractionary order and Redlich–Peterson models, respectively. The maximum amounts (Q max) of hydroquinone adsorbed at 25 °C were too high, reaching 1218.3 and 1202.1 mg g−1 for CAC-500 and MAC-980, respectively. The mechanism of adsorption was proposed in this work, and it was suggested that donor–acceptor complex and π–π interactions play major roles in the adsorption process. The adsorbents were also tested on simulated effluents. The two ACs displayed good efficiency for the treatment of industrial simulated effluents.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil) and The Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) for financial support, fellowships, grants, and technical support. We also thank Chemaxon for giving an academic research license for the Marvin Sketch software, version 16.11.1.0 (2016, http://www.chemaxon.com) used for pharmaceutical physical–chemical properties. We also thank The Centre of Electron Microscopy (CME-UFRGS) for the use of the SEM microscope.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering School, Department of Metallurgy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Glaydson S. dos Reis, Carlos H. Sampaio & Irineu A. S. de Brum

  2. Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Matthew A. Adebayo

  3. Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Postal Box 15003, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Eder C. Lima, Pascal S. Thue & Silvio L. P. Dias

  4. Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Bagé, RS, Brazil

    Flavio A. Pavan

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  1. Glaydson S. dos Reis
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  2. Matthew A. Adebayo
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Correspondence to Glaydson S. dos Reis.

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dos Reis, G.S., Adebayo, M.A., Sampaio, C.H. et al. Removal of Phenolic Compounds from Aqueous Solutions Using Sludge-Based Activated Carbons Prepared by Conventional Heating and Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 33 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-3202-7

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