title: Aqueous adsorption and removal of organic contaminants by carbon nanotubes.
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.
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Jin-Gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Xiu-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Resource-conserving & Environment-friendly Society and Ecological Civilization, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada.
authors.forename: Qiaoqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Lin-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D007700:Kinetics; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D007220:Industrial Waste; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Adsorption; Application; Carbon nanotubes; Organic pollutants; Removal