Competitive effects and interactions during sorption of SMP fractions on activated carbon: response surface approach for visualization of sorption profiles

The objectives of this study were to investigate the significance of the effects and interactions for during competitive sorption of soluble microbial products (SMP). Batch experiments were conducted to assess the competitive sorption characteristics and individual affinity of glucose (carbohydrate) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (protein) as two representative fractions of SMP. The influence of surface availability was investigated by using carbon particles with different particle sizes (5-75 μm, 75-850 μm, and 850-1000 μm) and different carbon amounts. Competitive effects and interactions were evaluated for each adsorbate and surface availability. Competitive sorption mechanisms were quantified in relation to surface affinity of the SMP fractions. Sorption capacity profiles of the SMP fractions at equilibrium were developed using second-degree polynomial models for the experimental data and compared with the estimates obtained from the modified Langmuir-like model which uses single parameter sorption data to estimate competitive sorption profiles of systems with two adsorbates. Adequacy limitations of the modified Langmuir-like model for each SMP fraction were evaluated based on the significance of the synergistic and antagonistic effects between the two SMP fractions and the carbon surface availability.