Use of fly ash for the removal of phenol and its analogues from contaminated water

This work attempts to elucidate the effects of different operational variables affecting the mechanistic function of fly ash for removal of some priority organic pollutants viz. phenol and its analogues. Thermodynamic parameters like free energy change, enthalpy and entropy of the process, as well as the sorption isotherms for phenols on fly ash, were measured and the most suitable isotherm was determined. Results of the study indicate that the extent of solute removal is determined by the initial solute concentration, molecular size and molecular arrangement of the solute. At the fixed set of experimental conditions, a model equation can be developed from which the percent removal corresponding to the load of the particular solute is determined. It is assumed that the mechanism of adsorption is governed by the surface characteristics of fly ash; pH has a vital role in influencing the solute removal as both the ionizing power (acidity, pKa) of the solutes and the zero point charge of fly ash (pHZPC) depend on the solution pH. Isotherm pattern and the free energy change indicate that the process is favorable, as well as spontaneous. The information gathered from the study will serve as a predictive modeling procedure for the analysis and design of the removal of organic pollutants and decontamination of water. The leaching experiment indicates that the retained solutes do not release from fly ash. The retained solutes can be recovered and utilized as industrial raw material.