Adsorption behaviors of some phenolic compounds onto high specific area activated carbon cloth

Adsorption of phenol, hydroquinone, m-cresol, p-cresol and p-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions onto high specific area activated carbon cloth has been studied. The effect of ionization on adsorption of these ionizable phenolic compounds was examined by studying the adsorption from acidic, basic and natural pH solutions. Kinetics of adsorption was followed by in situ UV spectroscopy over a period of 90 min. First-order rate law was found to be valid for the kinetics of adsorption processes and the rate constants were determined. The highest rate constants were obtained for the adsorption from solutions at the natural pH. The lowest rate constants were observed in basic solutions. The rate constants decreased in the order p-nitrophenol ∼ m-cresol > p-cresol > hydroquinone ∼ phenol. Adsorption isotherms were derived at 30 °C and the isotherm data were treated according to Langmuir, Freundlich and Tempkin isotherm equations. The goodness of fit of experimental data to these isotherm equations was tested and the parameters of equations were determined. The possible interactions of compounds with the carbon surface were discussed considering the charge of the surface and the possible ionization of compounds at acidic, basic and natural pH conditions.