TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterizing toluene adsorption onto carbon nanotubes for environmental applications
AU - Silvani, Ludovica
AU - Latini, Alessandro
AU - Reible, Danny
AU - Papini, Marco Petrangeli
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/1
Y1 - 2017/1
N2 - Two different types of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs and SWCNTs, respectively), have been characterized as new potential sorbents for contaminant removal from aqueous phase and can be used through different technological implementations. The performance of the materials has been evaluated in comparison with the most commonly used carbonaceous material, activated carbon (AC). Adsorption properties were evaluated by kinetic and equilibrium batch tests in aqueous solution at different salinity levels. Toluene was chosen as the reference compound to simulate the water phase dissolved portion of an oil spill. The experimental results have clearly demonstrated faster motion and higher adsorption capacity of MWCNTs and SWCNTs compared with AC. CNTs have shown very high removal efficiency for dissolved toluene, up to 30% and 90% for MWCNTs and SWCNTs, respectively. These results are very promising for the prospective use of CNTs as a potential alternative sorbent for hydrophobic organic compound (HOC) removal in environmental applications.
AB - Two different types of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs and SWCNTs, respectively), have been characterized as new potential sorbents for contaminant removal from aqueous phase and can be used through different technological implementations. The performance of the materials has been evaluated in comparison with the most commonly used carbonaceous material, activated carbon (AC). Adsorption properties were evaluated by kinetic and equilibrium batch tests in aqueous solution at different salinity levels. Toluene was chosen as the reference compound to simulate the water phase dissolved portion of an oil spill. The experimental results have clearly demonstrated faster motion and higher adsorption capacity of MWCNTs and SWCNTs compared with AC. CNTs have shown very high removal efficiency for dissolved toluene, up to 30% and 90% for MWCNTs and SWCNTs, respectively. These results are very promising for the prospective use of CNTs as a potential alternative sorbent for hydrophobic organic compound (HOC) removal in environmental applications.
KW - Adsorption
KW - Carbon nanotubes
KW - Carbonaceous materials
KW - Isotherm
KW - Kinetic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85014845043&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5004/dwt.2017.0839
DO - 10.5004/dwt.2017.0839
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85014845043
VL - 60
SP - 218
EP - 227
JO - Desalination and Water Treatment
JF - Desalination and Water Treatment
SN - 1944-3994
ER -