title: Adsorption of selected emerging contaminants onto PAC and GAC: Equilibrium isotherms, kinetics, and effect of the water matrix.
abstract: The removal of three emerging contaminants (ECs) (amitriptyline hydrochloride (AH), methyl salicylate (MS) and 2-phenoxyethanol (PE)) dissolved in several water matrices by means of their adsorption onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) and granular activated carbon (GAC) has been investigated. When dissolved in ultrapure water, adsorption of the ECs followed the trend of AH > MS > PE, with a positive effect of the adsorbent dose. According to the analysis of the adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics, PAC showed strongly higher adsorption efficiency in both capacity and velocity of the adsorption, in agreement with its higher mesoporosity. Equilibrium isotherm data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich models. Pseudo-second order kinetics modeled very successfully the adsorption process. Finally, the effect of the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the water matrices (ultrapure water, surface water and two effluents from wastewater treatment plants) on the adsorption of the selected ECs onto PAC was established, as well as its performance on the removal of water quality parameters. Results show a negative effect of the DOM content on the adsorption efficiency. Over 50% of organic matter was removed with high PAC doses, revealing that adsorption onto PAC is an effective technology to remove both micro-pollutants and DOM from water matrices.
authors.affiliation: a Chemical Engineering Department , University Institute for Water, Climate Change and Sustainability Research (IACYS), Universidad de Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2305-4840
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Real
authors.affiliation: a Chemical Engineering Department , University Institute for Water, Climate Change and Sustainability Research (IACYS), Universidad de Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Benitez
authors.affiliation: a Chemical Engineering Department , University Institute for Water, Climate Change and Sustainability Research (IACYS), Universidad de Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: Juan L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3611-4811
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Acero
authors.affiliation: a Chemical Engineering Department , University Institute for Water, Climate Change and Sustainability Research (IACYS), Universidad de Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3826-9227
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casas
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006812:Humic Substances / Q000032:analysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D016062:Porosity; D012459:Salicylates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D000639:Amitriptyline; D002606:Charcoal; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D006812:Humic Substances; D012459:Salicylates; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C005398:phenoxyethanol; C033069:methyl salicylate
keywords: 2-phenoxyethanol; GAC; PAC; adsorption; amitriptyline hydrochloride; emerging contaminants; methyl salicylate; municipal secondary effluent