BATCH ADSORPTION OF PHENOL FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTE WATER USING CEREAL BY-PRODUCTS AS A NEW ADSRBENT

Phenol is an important chemical which is used in the manufacture of many products such as dyes, synthetic resins, pesticides, tanning materials, perfumes and medicinal products, lubricants, essential oils, solvents, etc. It is very toxic even present as traces in industrial wastewater effluents. It may constitute a potential pollution source of ground waters and hence it has to be eliminated. In the work the elimination of phenol from synthesized aqueous solutions was carried out by adsorption onto non activated carbon obtained from calcinations up to 600 degrees C in exclusion air of a local cereal by-product. A kinetic study was also included where equilibrium was reached at the end of 120 minutes. A parametric study was also performed by investigating the effect of key parameters such as the pH and initial concentration. The adsorption isotherm was also examined where the results showed that at low concentrations, it is of type IV according to the BET classification whereas at high values of concentration the process seemed to be of a multi-layer type. The results showed that a high retention of the phenol exceeding 70% was achieved for an initial concentration of 20 mg/l, at 20 degrees C, a mean size diameter of 0.1 mm, a mixing velocity of 600 rpm, an adsorbent concentration of 10 g /l, a pH=3 and contact time of two hours (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of The TerraGreen Society.