title: Adsorption of benzene and toluene from aqueous solutions onto activated carbon and its acid and heat treated forms: influence of surface chemistry on adsorption.
abstract: The influence of surface chemistry and solution pH on the adsorption of benzene and toluene on activated carbon and its acid and heat treated forms were studied. A commercial coal-based activated carbon F-400 was chosen as carbon parent. The carbon samples were obtained by modification of F-400 by means of chemical treatment with HNO3 and thermal treatment under nitrogen flow. The treatment with nitric acid caused the introduction of a significant number of oxygenated acidic surface groups onto the carbon surface, while the heat treatment increases the basicity of carbon. The pore characteristics were not significantly changed after these modifications. The dispersive interactions are the most important factor in this adsorption process. Activated carbon with low oxygenated acidic surface groups (F-400Tox) has the best adsorption capacity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University, Kalijudan 37, Surabaya 60114, Indonesia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wibowo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Setyadhi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wibowo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Setiawan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ismadji
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001554:Benzene / Q000737:chemistry*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D012996:Solutions; D013499:Surface Properties; D014050:Toluene / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014050:Toluene; D017942:Nitric Acid; D002244:Carbon; D001554:Benzene