Molecular oxygen and the adsorption of phenols: Effect of functional groups
As a result of more stringent effluent and water quality standards established by both the Federal and state governments, activated carbon adsorption emerged as one of the best available technologies for achieving compliance with these new regulations. This study reveals that the presence of molecular oxygen (oxic conditions) has a significant impact on the exhibited adsorptive capacity of granular activated carbon (GAC) for several phenolic compounds. The increase in the GAC adsorptive capacity under oxic conditions results from polymerization of these adsorbates on the carbon surface. The mechanism of polymer formation is through oxidative coupling of phenolic molecules. The extent of an increase in the GAC adsorptive capacity is in accordance with the ease of oxidation of these compounds. However, substituting a nitro group on the parent phenol molecule suppressed polymerization reactions and no increase in the GAC adsorptive capacity was observed under oxic conditions for these substituents.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (United States). Risk Reduction Engineering Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 5607591
- Report Number(s):
- PB-94-113776/XAB; EPA--600/J-93/447
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACTIVATED CARBON
ADSORBENTS
ADSORPTION
AROMATICS
CARBON
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL WASTES
CONTROL
ELEMENTS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PHENOLS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLYMERIZATION
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL