Acid‐Base Characteristics of Powdered‐Activated‐Carbon Surfaces
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 119, Issue 3
Abstract
Adsorption of heavy metals onto activated carbon has been described using the surface‐complex‐formation (SCF) model, a chemical equilibrium model. The SCF model requires a knowledge of the amphoteric nature of activated carbon prior to metal adsorption modeling. In the past, a single‐diprotic‐acid‐site model had been employed to describe the amphoteric nature of activated‐carbon surfaces. During this study, the amphoteric nature of two powdered activated carbons were investigated, and a three‐monoprotic site surface model was found to be a plausible alternative. The single‐diprotic‐acid‐site and two‐monoprotic‐site models did not describe the acid‐base behavior of the two carbons studied adequately. The two‐diprotic site was acceptable for only one of the study carbons. The acid‐base behavior of activated carbon surfaces seem to be best modeled as a series of weak monoprotic acids.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 119 • Issue 3 • May 1993
Pages: 585 - 590
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 2, 1991
Published online: May 1, 1993
Published in print: May 1993
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