Adsorption Characteristics of Activated Carbon and XAD4 Resin for the Removal of Hazardous Organic Solvents

A comparative study has been conducted on adsorption/desorption of six hazardous organic vapors on synthetic resin (XAD4) and activated carbon, using a differential reactor involving the expansion of a quartz spring. While both sorbents can effectively remove the organic vapors, it was observed that at low concentrations activated carbon adsorbed more organic vapor than synthetic resin. At higher, industrial concentrations, the resins adsorbed more vapor as demonstrated by the slopes of the equilibrium isotherms. The resin also showed much higher desorptlon.

The effective Intraparticle diffusion coefficients (D_e) were observed to be strongly dependent on solute concentration. Pore diffusion dominated the adsorption/desorption of the six organic vapors on XAD4 resin. For the carbon system, pore diffusion dominated the adsorption but surface diffusion contributed to the desorptlon process. This is believed to be due to higher Interaction of the adsorbates with activated carbon.     

Fenton氧化-活性炭吸附耦合处理焦化废水生化尾水的研究

研究了Fenton氧化、活性炭吸附、Fenton氧化一活性炭吸附等方法,对焦化废水生化尾水的处理效果,分析了Fenton氧化一活性炭吸附法处理焦化废水生化尾水的工艺条件。结果表明,Fenton氧化与活性炭吸附耦合处理焦化废水生化尾水的最优条件是：H2O2投加量为5mL／L,FeSO4·7H2O投加量为200mg／L,活性炭投加量为2g／L,反应pH=4．0,反应时间为20min。在此条件下,COD去除率可达82．6％,出水水质符合《污水综合排放标准》（GB8978--1996）一级标准。     

Removal and Destruction of Organic Contaminants in Water Using Adsorption,Steam Regeneration,and Photocatalytic Oxidation: A Pilot-Scale Study

ABSTRACT

The overall objective of this pilot-scale study is to investigate the technical feasibility of the removal and destruction of organic contaminants in water using adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. The process consists of two consecutive operational steps: (1) removal of organic contaminants using fixed-bed adsorption; and (2) regeneration of spent adsorbent using photocatalysis or steam, followed by decontamination of steam condensate using photocatalysis. The pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate these options at a water treatment plant in Wausau (Wisconsin) for treatment of groundwater contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE), toluene, ethylbenzene (EB), and xylenes. The adsorbents used were F-400 GAC and Ambersorb 563.

In the first treatment strategy, the adsorbents were impregnated with photocatalyst and used for the removal of aqueous organics. The spent adsorbents were then exposed to ultraviolet light to achieve photocatalytic regeneration. Regeneration of adsorbents using photocatalysis was observed to be not effective, probably because the impregnated photocatalyst was fouled by background organic matter present in the groundwater matrix.

In the second treatment strategy, the spent adsorbents were regenerated using steam, followed by cleanup of steam condensate using photocatalysis. Four cycles of adsorption and three cycles of steam regeneration were performed. Ambersorb 563 adsorbent was successfully regenerated using saturated steam at 160 °C within 20 hours. The steam condensate was treated using fixed-bed photo-catalysis using 1% Pt-TiO₂ photocatalyst supported on silica gel. After 35 minutes of empty bed contact time, more than 95% removal of TCE, cis-DCE, toluene, EB, and xylenes was achieved, and more than 75% removal of PCE was observed.

In the case of activated carbon adsorbent, steam regeneration was not effective, and a significant loss in adsorbent capacity was observed.