REMOVAL OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS FROM A SYNTHETIC OILFIELD PRODUCED WATER BY ADSORPTION PROCESS USING VEGETABLE AND BONE BOVINE ACTIVATED CARBONS

The production of oil and gas is usually accompanied by the production of waste water, which contains several organic pollutants. The objective of this work is to investigate the removal of organic load from synthetic oilfield produced water by adsorption process, using activated carbons from vegetable and animal origin. The synthetic oilfield produced water was constituted by a mixture of xylene, n–heptane, phenol, and NaCl in aqueous solution. The structural properties of the samples were investigated by X–ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Effects of temperature and type of adsorbent on the adsorption process were investigated. According to the results, the temperature of 25 °C was more favorable in adsorption of organic load from synthetic oilfield produced water. Pseudo–first order, pseudo–second order, and Elovich equations were able to represent the adsorption kinetics. The vegetable activated carbon delivered the best results, being the most efficient to remove the organic load due its high surface area. The adsorption capacities were 28 and 15 mgTOC g–1, for vegetable and animal activated carbons, respectively.