Adsorption of phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol on activated carbon cloth: The influence of sorbent surface acidity and pH

Abstract

In this work the effect of the activated carbon cloth surface acidity and pH of the solution on phenols adsorption has been studied. Two phenols, widely different in the terms of their pKa values (phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol), have been chosen as the model compounds. It has been shown that phenol adsorption was favored by low pH values of solution and high point of zero charge values of activated carbon cloths. The adsorption of 2,4-dinitrophenol was promoted at very low pH values of solution and it was less influenced by activated carbon cloth surface acidity.