The influence of activated carbon surface properties on the adsorption of the herbicide molinate and the bio-regeneration of the adsorbent

Molinate adsorption and partial bio-regeneration was favoured with activated carbons with larger pores, consisting mainly of meso and macropores. In order to study the effect of different surface chemical characteristics while maintaining the original textural properties, a commercial activated carbon was submitted to thermal and nitric acid treatments. The thermal treatment improved the molinate adsorption capacity of activated carbon. However, the bio-regeneration of the nitric acid oxidised activated carbon was slightly higher. With all the activated carbon materials used it was observed that the biological consumption of molinate present in the liquid phase displaced the equilibrium towards the activated carbon partial regeneration.