Removal of Phenol from Water Different Types of Carbon – A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Toxic organic substances are considered among the pollutants that have direct effect on humans and animals. Industrial wastewaters containing dissolved phenol can contaminate groundwater resources and thus lead to a serious groundwater pollution problem. In the present research, the adsorption technique for the efficient removal of phenol pollutants at trace level in water was employed. Four type of micro and nanocarbon materials including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as nano carbon adsorbents, activated carbon (AC) and industrial carbon fly ash (CFA) as micro carbon adsorbents were used to remove phenol from water. Characterization of these adsorbents was performed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), BET specific surface area while the concentration of phenol in water before and after treatment was analyzed using UV-Spectroscopy. The pH (3-9) of the solution, was varied in order to determine their effect on the removal of phenol from water and hence on the adsorption rate.