The role of water and surface acidity on the reactive adsorption of ammonia on modified activated carbons

Commercial carbons were modified by incipient wetness impregnation with aqueous solutions of metal salts (Fe, Co, Cr), followed by calcinations at low temperature (300 °C). The materials were characterized using adsorption of nitrogen, potentiometric titration, thermal analysis, XRF, SEM and FTIR. Their performance for ammonia removal was evaluated in dynamic conditions at room temperature. The results indicate that activated carbons with supported metals on the surface can be used for the removal of ammonia pollution and their capacity depends on the nature of the metal deposit and its acidity. Moreover the capacity is also affected by the presence of moisture and surface functional groups. The latter, when strongly acidic, significantly enhance the adsorption capacity. On the surface of modified activated carbons reactive adsorption of ammonia takes place via the formation of NH4+ ions, which bind to surface acidic groups. Thus the removal process is essentially governed by acid–base interactions.