Effect of heat on the adsorption capacity of an activated carbon for decolorizing/deodorizing yellow zein

The Freundlich model was evaluated for use to assess the effect of heat on the adsorption capacity of an activated carbon for decolorizing/deodorizing corn zein. Because zein protein and its color/odor components are all adsorbed by activated carbon, a method to monitor their removal was needed. Yellow color is due to xanthophylls; a contributor to off-odor is diferuloylputrescine. The off-odor component absorbs ultraviolet (UV) light at about 325 nm and its removal coincides with removal of yellow color. A spectrophotometric method based on UV absorbances 280 nm for protein and 325 nm for the off-odor component was used to monitor their adsorptions onto activated carbon. Equilibrium studies were performed over temperature range from 25 to 60 °C for zein dissolved in 70% aqueous ethanol. Runs made at 55 °C adsorbed significantly more of the color/odor components than the protein.