Preparation of activated carbons from agricultural residues for pesticide adsorption

Chemosphere. 2010 Sep;80(11):1328-36. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.06.044. Epub 2010 Jul 3.

Abstract

Activated carbons (ACs) can be used not only for liquid but also for vapour phase applications, such as water treatment, deodorisation, gas purification and air treatment. In the present study, activated carbons produced from agricultural residues (olive kernel, corn cobs, rapeseed stalks and soya stalks) via physical steam activation were tested for the removal of Bromopropylate (BP) from water. For the characterization of the activated carbons ICP, SEM, FTIR and XRD analyses were performed. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms were investigated for all biomass activated carbons in aqueous solutions. Experimental data of BP adsorption have fitted best to the pseudo 2nd-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. The study resulted that corn cobs showed better adsorption capacity than the other biomass ACs. Comparison among ACs from biomass and commercial ones (F400 and Norit GL50) revealed that the first can be equally effective for the removal of BP from water with the latter.

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Benzilates / analysis
  • Benzilates / chemistry*
  • Charcoal / chemical synthesis
  • Charcoal / chemistry*
  • Crops, Agricultural / chemistry*
  • Crops, Agricultural / ultrastructure
  • Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods
  • Kinetics
  • Models, Chemical
  • Pesticides / analysis
  • Pesticides / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*

Substances

  • Benzilates
  • Pesticides
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Charcoal
  • isopropyl 4,4'-dibromobenzilate