Aqueous adsorption and removal of organic contaminants by carbon nanotubes

Jin-Gang Yu; Xiu-Hui Zhao; Hua Yang; Xiao-Hong Chen; Qiaoqin Yang; Lin-Yan Yu; Jian-Hui Jiang; Xiao-Qing Chen

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.129

Aqueous adsorption and removal of organic contaminants by carbon nanotubes

Sci Total Environ. 2014 Jun 1:482-483:241-51. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.129. Epub 2014 Mar 18.

Authors

Jin-Gang Yu¹, Xiu-Hui Zhao², Hua Yang², Xiao-Hong Chen³, Qiaoqin Yang⁴, Lin-Yan Yu², Jian-Hui Jiang⁵, Xiao-Qing Chen⁶

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Resources Chemistry of Nonferrous Metals, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China. Electronic address: yujg@csu.edu.cn.
² College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China; Key Laboratory of Resources Chemistry of Nonferrous Metals, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China.
³ Collaborative Innovation Center of Resource-conserving & Environment-friendly Society and Ecological Civilization, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada.
⁵ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China.
⁶ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China; Key Laboratory of Resources Chemistry of Nonferrous Metals, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China. Electronic address: xqchen@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 24657369
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.129

Abstract

Organic contaminants have become one of the most serious environmental problems, and the removal of organic contaminants (e.g., dyes, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals/drugs) and common industrial organic wastes (e.g., phenols and aromatic amines) from aqueous solutions is of special concern because they are recalcitrant and persistent in the environment. In recent years, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been gradually applied to the removal of organic contaminants from wastewater through adsorption processes. This paper reviews recent progress (145 studies published from 2010 to 2013) in the application of CNTs and their composites for the removal of toxic organic pollutants from contaminated water. The paper discusses removal efficiencies and adsorption mechanisms as well as thermodynamics and reaction kinetics. CNTs are predicted to have considerable prospects for wider application to wastewater treatment in the future.

Keywords: Adsorption; Application; Carbon nanotubes; Organic pollutants; Removal.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Coloring Agents / analysis
Coloring Agents / chemistry
Industrial Waste / analysis
Kinetics
Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
Organic Chemicals / analysis
Organic Chemicals / chemistry*
Pesticides / analysis
Pesticides / chemistry
Thermodynamics
Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*

Substances

Coloring Agents
Industrial Waste
Nanotubes, Carbon
Organic Chemicals
Pesticides
Water Pollutants, Chemical