Effect of sorbed and desorbed Zn(Ⅱ) on the growth of a green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidosa)

Toxic effect of Zn(Ⅱ) on a green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidasa) in the presence of sepiolite and kaolinite was investigated.The Zn-free clays were found to have a negative impact on the growth of C.pyrenoidosa in comparison with control samples (without adding any clay or Zn(Ⅱ)).When Zn(Ⅱ) was added,the algae in the presence of clays could be better survived than the control samples,which was actually caused by a decrease in Zn(Ⅱ) concentration in the solution owing to the adsorption of Zn(Ⅱ) on the clays.When the solution system was diluted,the growth of algae could be further inhibited as compared to that in a system which had the same initial Zn(Ⅱ) concentration as in the diluted system.This in fact resulted from desorption of Zn(Ⅱ) from the zinc-contaminated clays,although the effect varied according to the different desorption capabilities of sepiolite and kaolinite.Therefore the adsorption and desorption processes of Zn(Ⅱ) played an important part in its toxicity,and adsorption and desorption of pollutants on soils/sediments should be well considered in natural eco-environmental systems before their risk of toxicity to aquatic organisms was assessed objectively.     

Effect of sorbed and desorbed Zn(Ⅱ) on the growth of a green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidosa)

Toxic effect of Zn(Ⅱ)on a green alga(ChloreUa pyrenoidosa)in the presence of sepiolite and kaolinite was investigated.The Zn-free clays were found to have a negative impact on the growth of C.pyrenoidosa in comparison with control samples(without adding any clay or Zn(Ⅱ)).When Zn(Ⅱ)was added,the algae in the presence of clays could be better survived than the control samples,which was actually caused by a decrease in Zn(Ⅱ)concentration in the solution owing to the adsorption of Zn(Ⅱ)on the clays.When the solution system was diluted,the growth of algae could be further inhibited as compared to that in a system which had the same initial Zn(Ⅱ)concentration as in the diluted system.This in fact resulted from desorption of Zn(Ⅱ)from the zinc-contaminated clays,although the effect varied according to the different desorption capabilities of sepiolite and kaolinite.Therefore the adsorption and desorption processes of Zn(Ⅱ)played an important part in its toxicity,and adsorption and desorption of pollutants on soils/sediments should be well considered in natural eco-environmental systems before their risk of toxicity to aquatic organisms was assessed objectively.     

Insights into the formation of secondary organic carbon in the summertime in urban Shanghai

To investigate formation mechanisms of secondary organic carbon(SOC) in Eastern China,measurements were conducted in an urban site in Shanghai in the summer of 2015. A period of high O_3 concentrations(daily peak 120 ppb) was observed, during which daily maximum SOC concentrations exceeding 9.0 μg/(C·m~3). Diurnal variations of SOC concentration and SOC/organic carbon(OC) ratio exhibited both daytime and nighttime peaks. The SOC concentrations correlated well with O_x(= O_3+ NO_2) and relative humidity in the daytime and nighttime, respectively, suggesting that secondary organic aerosol formation in Shanghai is driven by both photochemical production and aqueous phase reactions. Single particle mass spectrometry was used to examine the formation pathways of SOC. Along with the daytime increase of SOC, the number fraction of elemental carbon(EC) particles coated with OC quickly increased from 38.1% to 61.9% in the size range of 250–2000 nm, which was likely due to gas-to-particle partitioning of photochemically generated semi-volatile organic compounds onto EC particles. In the nighttime, particles rich in OC components were highly hygroscopic, and number fraction of these particles correlated well with relative humidity and SOC/OC nocturnal peaks. Meanwhile, as an aqueous-phase SOC tracer, particles that contained oxalate-Fe(III) complex also peaked at night. These observations suggested that aqueous-phase processes had an important contribution to the SOC nighttime formation. The influence of aerosol acidity on SOC formation was studied by both bulk and single particle level measurements, suggesting that the aqueous-phase formation of SOC was enhanced by particle acidity.     

Preparation and characterization of a lipoid adsorption material and its atrazine removal performance

A novel adsorbent named lipoid adsorption material (LAM), with a hydrophobic nucleolus (triolein) and a hydrophilic membrane structure (polyamide), was synthesized to remove hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) from solution. Triolein, a type of lipoid, was entrapped by the polyamide membrane through an interfacial polymerization reaction. The method of preparation and the structure of the LAM were investigated and subsequent experiments were conducted to determine the characteristics of atrazine (a type of HOC) removal from wastewater using LAM as the adsorbent. The results showed that LAM had a regular structure compared with the prepolymer, where compact particles were linked with each other and openings were present in the structure of the LAM in which the fat drops formed from triolein were entrapped. In contrast to the atrazine adsorption behavior of powdered activated carbon (PAC), LAM showed a persistent adsorption capacity for atrazine when initial concentrations of 0.57, 1.12, 8.31 and 19.01 mg/L were present, and the equilibrium time was 12 hr. Using an 8 mg/L initial concentration of atrazine as an indicator of HOCs in aqueous solution, experiments on the adsorption capacity of the LAM showed 69.3% removal within 6–12 hr contact time, which was close to the 75.5% removal of atrazine by PAC. Results indicated that LAM has two atrazine removal mechanisms, namely the bioaccumulation of atrazine by the nucleous material and physical adsorption to the LAM membrane. Bioaccumulation was the main removal mechanism.     

Effect of traffic restriction on atmospheric particle concentrations and their size distributions in urban Lanzhou, Northwestern China

During the 2012 Lanzhou International Marathon, the local government made a significant effort to improve traffic conditions and air quality by implementing traffic restriction measures. To evaluate the direct effect of these measures on urban air quality, especially particle concentrations and their size distributions, atmospheric particle size distributions(0.5–20 μm) obtained using an aerodynamic particle sizer(model 3321, TSI, USA) in June 2012 were analyzed. It was found that the particle number, surface area and volume concentrations for size range 0.5–10 μm were(15.0±2.1) cm-3,(11.8±2.6) μm2/cm3and(1.9±0.6) μm2/cm3, respectively, on the traffic-restricted day(Sunday), which is 63.2%, 53.0% and 47.2% lower than those on a normal Sunday. For number and surface area concentrations, the most affected size range was 0.5–0.7 and 0.5–0.8 μm, respectively, while for volume concentration, the most affected size ranges were 0.5–0.8, 1.7–2.0 and 5.0–5.4 μm. Number and volume concentrations of particles in size range 0.5–1.0 μm correlated well with the number of non-CNG(Compressed Natural Gas) powered vehicles, while their correlation with the number of CNG-powered vehicles was very low, suggesting that reasonable urban traffic controls along with vehicle technology improvements could play an important role in improving urban air quality.     

Adsorption of zinc on manganite(γ-MnOOH): particle concentration effect and adsorption reversibility

The adsorption and desorption processes of Zn(Ⅱ) on τ-MnOOH as a function of particle concentrations (Cp) were studied. An obvious Cp effect was observed in this adsorption system. The degree of adsorption hysteresis increased greatly with the increasing of Cp, indicating that the extent of the real metastable-equilibrium states deviating from the ideal equilibrium state was enhanced with the increasing of Cp. The Cp-reversibility relationship confirmed the metastable-equilibrium adsorption (MEA) inequality (Pan, 1998a), which was the core formulation of the MEA theory. Because the MEA inequality was based on the basic hypothesis of MEA theory that adsorption densitιy ι is not a state variable, the Cp-reversibility relationship gave indirect evidence to the basic hypothesis of MEA theory.     

Removal of heavy metals and arsenic from a co-contaminated soil by sieving combined with washing process

Batch experiments were conducted with a heavy metals and arsenic co-contaminated soil from an abandoned mine to evaluate the feasibility of a remediation technology that combines sieving with soil washing.Leaching of the arsenic and heavy metals from the different particle size fractions was found to decrease in the order: 0.1,2–0.1,and 2 mm.With increased contact time,the concentration of heavy metals in the leachate was significantly decreased for small particles,probably because of adsorption by the clay soil component.For the different particle sizes,the removal efficiencies for Pb and Cd were75%–87%,and 61%–77% for Zn and Cu,although the extent of removal was decreased for As and Cr at 45%.The highest efficiency by washing for Pb,Cd,Zn,and As was from the soil particles 2 mm,although good metal removal efficiencies were also achieved in the small particle size fractions.Through SEM-EDS observations and correlation analysis,the leaching regularity of the heavy metals and arsenic was found to be closely related to Fe,Mn,and Ca contents of the soil fractions.The remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil by sieving combined with soil washing was proven to be efficient,and practical remediation parameters were also recommended.     

Adsorption and biodegradation of three selected endocrine disrupting chemicals in river-based artificial groundwater recharge with reclaimed municipal wastewater

Endocrine disrupting chemical(EDC) pollution in river-based artificial groundwater recharge using reclaimed municipal wastewater poses a potential threat to groundwater-based drinking water supplies in Beijing, China. Lab-scale leaching column experiments simulating recharge were conducted to study the adsorption, biodegradation, and transport characteristics of three selected EDCs: 17β-estradiol(E2), 17α-ethinylestradiol(EE2) and bisphenol A(BPA). The three recharge columns were operated under the conditions of continual sterilization recharge(CSR), continual recharge(CR), and wetting and drying alternative recharge(WDAR). The results showed that the attenuation effect of the EDCs was in the order of WDAR CR CSR system and E2 EE2 BPA, which followed first-order kinetics. The EDC attenuation rate constants were 0.0783, 0.0505, and 0.0479 m-1 for E2, EE2 and BPA in the CR system, respectively. The removal rates of E2, EE2, and BPA in the CR system were 98%, 96% and 92%, which mainly depended on biodegradation and were affected by water temperature.In the CR system, the concentrations of BPA, EE2, and E2 in soil were 4, 6 and 10 times higher than in the WDAR system, respectively. According to the DGGE fingerprints, the bacterial community in the bottom layer was more diverse than in the upper layer, which was related to the EDC concentrations in the water-soil system. The dominant group was found to be proteobacteria, including Betaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria, suggesting that these microbes might play an important role in EDC degradation.     

Mechanism of Methylene Blue adsorption on hybrid laponite-multi-walled carbon nanotube particles

The kinetics of adsorption and parameters of equilibrium adsorption of Methylene Blue(MB)on hybrid laponite-multi-walled carbon nanotube(NT)particles in aqueous suspensions were determined.The laponite platelets were used in order to facilitate disaggregation of NTs in aqueous suspensions and enhance the adsorption capacity of hybrid particles for MB.Experiments were performed at room temperature(298 K),and the laponite/NT ratio(X_l)was varied in the range of 0–0.5.For elucidation of the mechanism of MB adsorption on hybrid particles,the electrical conductivity of the system as well as the electrokinetic potential of laponite-NT hybrid particles were measured.Three different stages in the kinetics of adsorption of MB on the surface of NTs or hybrid laponite-NT particles were discovered to be a fast initial stage Ⅰ(adsorption time t=0–10 min),a slower intermediate stage Ⅱ(up to t=120 min)and a long-lasting final stage Ⅲ(up to t=24 hr).The presence of these stages was explained accounting for different types of interactions between MB and adsorbent particles,as well as for the changes in the structure of aggregates of NT particles and the long-range processes of restructuring of laponite platelets on the surface of NTs.The analysis of experimental data on specific surface area versus the value of X_l evidenced in favor of the model with linear contacts between rigid laponite platelets and NTs.It was also concluded that electrostatic interactions control the first stage of adsorption at low MB concentrations.     

Effect of sorbed and desorbed Zn（II） on the growth of a green alga （ Chlorella pyrenoidosa）

Toxic effect of Zn（II） on a green alga （Chlorella pyrenoidosa） in the presence of sepiolite and kaolinite was investigated. The Zn-free clays were found to have a negative impact on the growth of C. pyrenoidosa in comparison with control samples （without adding any clay or Zn（II））. When Zn（II） was added, the algae in the presence of clays could be better survived than the control samples, which was actually caused by a decrease in Zn（II） concentration in the solution owing to the adsorption of Zn（II） on the clays. When the solution system was diluted, the growth of algae could be further inhibited as compared to that in a system which had the same initial Zn（II） concentration as in the diluted system. This in fact resulted from desorption of Zn（II） from the zinc-contaminated clays, although the effect varied according to the different desorption capabilities of sepiolite and kaolinite. Therefore the adsorption and desorption processes of Zn（H） played an important part in its toxicity, and adsorption and desorption of pollutants on soils/sediments should be well considered in natural eco-environmental systems before their risk of toxicity to aquatic organisms was assessed objectively.     

Distribution and transportation of mercury from glacier to lake in the Qiangyong Glacier Basin, southern Tibetan Plateau, China

The Tibetan Plateau is home to the largest aggregate of glaciers outside the Polar Regions and is a source of fresh water to 1.4 billion people. Yet little is known about the transportation and cycling of Hg in high-elevation glacier basins on Tibetan Plateau. In this study, surface snow,glacier melting stream water and lake water samples were collected from the Qiangyong Glacier Basin. The spatiotemporal distribution and transportation of Hg from glacier to lake were investigated. Significant diurnal variations of dissolved Hg(DHg) concentrations were observed in the river water, with low concentrations in the morning(8:00 am–14:00 pm) and high concentrations in the afternoon(16:00 pm–20:00 pm). The DHg concentrations were exponentially correlated with runoff, which indicated that runoff was the dominant factor affecting DHg concentrations in the river water. Moreover, significant decreases of Hg were observed during transportation from glacier to lake. DHg adsorption onto particulates followed by the sedimentation of particulate-bound Hg(PHg) could be possible as an important Hg removal mechanism during the transportation process. Significant decreases in Hg concentrations were observed downstream of Xiao Qiangyong Lake, which indicated that the high-elevation lake system could significantly affect the distribution and transportation of Hg in the Qiangyong Glacier Basin.     

Identification of sources of lead in the atmosphere by chemical speciation using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy

Sources of Pb pollution in the local atmosphere together with Pb species, major ions, and heavy metal concentrations in a size-fractionated aerosol sample from Higashi-Hiroshima(Japan) have been determined by X-ray absorption near-edge structure(XANES) spectroscopy, ion chromatography, and ICP-MS/AES, respectively. About 80% of total Pb was concentrated in fine aerosol particles. Lead species in the coarse aerosol particles were PbC2O4, 2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2, and Pb(NO3)2, whereas Pb species in the fine aerosol particles were PbC2O4, PbSO4, and Pb(NO3)2. Chemical speciation and abundance data suggested that the source of Pb in the fine aerosol particles was different from that of the coarse ones. The dominant sources of Pb in the fine aerosol particles were judged to be fly ash from a municipal solid waste incinerator and heavy oil combustion. For the coarse aerosol particles, road dust was considered to be the main Pb source. In addition to Pb species, elemental concentrations in the aerosols were also determined. The results suggested that Pb species in size-fractionated aerosols can be used to identify the origin of aerosol particles in the atmosphere as an alternative to Pb isotope ratio measurement.     

Mercury removal using ground and calcined mussel shell

We determined mercury retention on calcined and ground mussel shell, in presence and absence of phosphate, using batch and stirred flow chamber experiments. In batch experiments the calcined shell exhibited higher Hg adsorption, with good fitting to Freundlich equation （R^2： 0.925-0.978）; the presence of phosphate increased Hg adsorption; mercury desorption was 13% or lower, diminishing up to 2% under the presence of phosphates. In stirred flow chamber experiments calcined shell retained more Hg than ground shells （6300 vs. 4000-5200 μmol/kg）; Hg retention increased an additional 40% on calcined shell and up to an additional 70% on ground shells when phosphates were present; mercury desorption was quite similar in all shell types （20%-34%）, increasing up to 49%-60% in ground shells when phosphates were present. The higher Hg adsorption on calcined shell would be related to its calcite and dolomite concentrations; mercury-phosphate interactions would cause the increase in Hg retention when phosphates are present. Data on Hg desorption suggest that Hg retention was not easily reversible after batch experiments, increasing in the stirred flow chamber due to convective flow. Calcined and ground mussel shells could be recycled removing Hg from water, with the presence of phosphates in solution improving efficacy.     

Comparison of different phosphate species adsorption by ferric and alum water treatment residuals

As safe byproducts of drinking water treatment processes,ferric and alum water treatment residuals(FARs) have the potential to be new phosphate(P) immobilization materials.In this study,batch experiments were conducted to investigate and compare the adsorption characteristics of three P species by FARs.The results showed that the kinetic processes of different P species’ adsorption by FARs could be described by a pseudo second-order model.The ranking list of the initial adsorption rates with respect to different phosphates was pyrophosphate,phytate,orthophosphate,hexametaphosphate and glycerophosphate.Of the six models considered,the two-site Langmuir model most effectively described the adsorption characteristics of the various P species.Upon fitting the results,the maximum adsorption capacities were determined to be 40.24 mg/g for phytate,18.04 mg/g for pyrophosphate,17.14 mg/g for orthophosphate,15.86 mg/g for hexametaphosphate and 10.81 mg/g for glycerophosphate.In addition,the adsorption processes of the different P species were spontaneous endothermic processes and were favored at lower pH values.The pH dependency was found to be especially true for orthophosphate,where the adsorption capacity decreased by 1.22 mg/g with an increase in pH from 5 to 9.Fractionation of the adsorbed P species from the FARs demonstrated that Al-P and Fe-P were the dominating forms,constituting approximately 80%-90% of the total P fractions,which indicated that the adsorbed P species had a low leaching risk and could stably exist in the FARs.Therefore,the FARs could be effective in controlling pollution in water caused by different P species.     

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies on partitioning of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) between aqueous solution and modeled individual soil particle grain sizes

The significance of soil mineral properties and secondary environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, ionic strength and time in the partitioning of eight selected polychlorinated biphenyl(PCB) congeners between aqueous solution and soil particles with different grain sizes was studied. The mineral properties of a model soil sample were determined, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller(BET) adsorption–desorption isotherms were employed to observe the surface characteristics of the individual modeled soil particles.Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to determine the sorption of PCBs onto soil particles of different sizes. The results revealed that the sorption of PCB congeners onto the soil was dependent on the amount of soil organic matter, surface area, and pore size distribution of the various individual soil particles. Low pH favored the sorption of PCBs,with maximum sorption occurring between pH 6.5 and 7.5 with an equilibration period of 8 hr.Changes in the ionic strength were found to be less significant. Low temperature favored the sorption of PCBs onto the soil compared to high temperatures. Thermodynamic studies showed that the partition coefficient(K_d) decreased with increasing temperature, and negative and low values of ΔH° indicated an exothermic physisorption process. The data generated is critical and will help in further understanding remediation and cleanup strategies for polluted water.     

Emission reduction characteristics of a catalyzed continuously regenerating trap after-treatment system and its durability performance

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a catalyzed continuously regenerating trap(CCRT)system composed of a diesel oxidation catalyst(DOC)and a catalyzed diesel particulate filter(CDPF)on the main gaseous and particulate emissions from an urban diesel bus,as well as the durability performance of the CCRT system.Experiments were conducted based on a heavy chassis dynamometer,and a laboratory activity test as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)test were applied to evaluate the changes of the aged CCRT catalyst.Results showed that the CCRT could reduce the CO by 71.5%and the total hydrocarbons(THC)by 88.9%,and meanwhile promote the oxidation of NO.However,the conversion rates for CO and THC dropped to 25.1%and 55.1%,respectively,after the CCRT was used for one year(～60,000 km),and the NO oxidation was also weakened.For particulate emissions,the CCRT could reduce 97.4%of the particle mass(PM)and almost 100%of the particle number(PN).The aging of the CCRT resulted in a reduced PM trapping efficiency but had no observable effect on the PN;however,it increased the proportion of nucleation mode particles.The activity test results indicated that the deterioration of the CCRT was directly relevant to the increase in the light-off temperatures of the catalyst for CO,C_3H_8 and NO_2.In addition,the decreased concentrations of the active components Pt~(2+) and Pt~(4+) in the catalyst are also important factors in the CCRT deterioration.     

Thermodynamics and kinetics of cadmium adsorption onto oxidized granular activated carbon

Cadmium sorption behavior of granular activated carbon oxidized with nitric acid was systematically studied by sets of the equilibrium and time-based experiments under various conditions.The cadmium adsorption capacity of oxidized granular activated carbon enlarged with an increase in pH,and reduced with an increase in ionic strength.Experimental data were evaluated to find out kinetic characteristics.Adsorption processes were found to follow pseudo-second order rate equation.Adsorption isotherms correlate well with the Langmuir isotherm model and the maximum sorption capacity of cadmium evaluated is 51.02μmol/g.Thermodynamic parameters were calculated based on Van't Hoff equation.Equilibrium constant Kd was evaluated from Freundlich isotherm model constants,Langmnir isotherm model constants,and isotherms,respectively.The average change of standard adsorption heatΔH~0 was -25.29 kJ/mol.NegativeΔH~0 andΔG~0 values indicate the adsorption process for cadmium onto the studied activated carbon is exothermic and spontaneous.The standard entropyΔS~0 was also negative,which suggests a decrease in the freedom of the system.     

Purification of starch and phosphorus wastewater using core-shell magnetic seeds prepared by sulfated roasting

Core-shell magnetic seeds with certain adsorption capacity that were prepared by sulfated roasting, served as the core of a magnetic separation technology for purification of starch wastewater. XRD and SEM results indicate that magnetite's surface transformed to be porous α-Fe_2O_3 structure. Compared with magnetite particles, the specific surface area was significantly improved to be 8.361 from 2.591 m~2/g, with little decrease in specific susceptibility. Zeta potential, FT-IR and XPS experiments indicate that both phosphate and starch adsorbed on the surface of the core-shell magnetic seeds by chemical adsorption, which fits well with the Langmuir adsorption model. The porous surface structure of magnetic seeds significantly contributes to the adsorption of phosphate and starch species, which can be efficiently removed to be 1.51 mg/L(phosphate) and 9.51 mg/L(starch) using magnetic separation.     

Pb(II) removal from water using Fe-coated bamboo charcoal with the assistance of microwaves

Bamboo charcoal(BC) was used as starting material to prepare iron-modified bamboo charcoal(Fe-MBC) by its impregnation in FeCl 3 and HNO 3 solutions simultaneously,followed by microwave heating.The material can be used as an adsorbent for Pb(Ⅱ) contaminants removal in water.The composites were prepared with Fe molar concentration of 0.5,1.0 and 2.0 mol/L and characterized by means of N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms,X-ray diffraction spectroscopy(XRD),scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry(SEM-EDS),Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR) and point of zero charge(pH pzc) measurements.Nitrogen adsorption analyses showed that the BET specific surface area and total pore volume increased with iron impregnation.The adsorbent with Fe molar concentration of 2 mol/L(2Fe-MBC) exhibited the highest surface area and produced the best pore structure.The Pb(Ⅱ) adsorption process of 2Fe-MBC and BC were evaluated in batch experiments and 2Fe-MBC showed an excellent adsorption capability for removal Pb(Ⅱ).The adsorption of Pb(Ⅱ) strongly depended on solution pH,with maximum values at pH 5.0.The ionic strength had a significant effect on the adsorption at pH < 6.0.The adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir isotherm model well,and the maximum adsorption capacity for Pb(Ⅱ) was 200.38 mg/g for 2Fe-MBC.The adsorption processes were well fitted by a pseudo second-order kinetic model.Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Pb(Ⅱ) onto Fe-MBC was feasible,spontaneous,and exothermic under the studied conditions,and the ion exchange mechanism played an significant role.These results have important implications for the design of low-cost and effective adsorbents in the removal of Pb(Ⅱ) from wastewater.     

Adsorption of naphthalene onto a high-surface-area carbon from waste ion exchange resin

A high-surface-area carbon (KC-1) was prepared from waste polystyrene-based ion exchange resin by KOH activation and used for naphthalene adsorption. The carbon exhibited a good hydrophobic nature with developed porous structure, favoring the adsorption of organic compounds. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and total pore volume of KC-1 were 3442.2 and 1.68 cm 3 /g, respectively, which can be compared with those of KOH-activated carbons prepared from other precursors. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the adsorption of naphthalene onto KC-1. The equilibrium data were analyzed by the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Polanyi- Manes isotherms and agreed with the Polanyi-Manes Model. The adsorption of naphthalene depended greatly on the porosity of the carbon, and the dispersive interactions between naphthalene and carbon could be relatively weak. The pH variation in aqueous solution had little effect on the adsorption process. The equilibrium time for 0.04 g/L of carbon dose was around 5 hr. Different models were used to evaluate the kinetic data and the pseudo second-order model was suitable to describe the kinetic process of naphthalene adsorption onto KC-1. Regeneration of spent carbon could be carried out effectively by alcohol treatment. The results indicated that KC-1 was a promising adsorbent for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous solutions.