Naphthalene and -Xylene Adsorption onto High Carbon Fly Ash
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 5
Abstract
Adsorption is an effective remediation technique for petroleum hydrocarbons because of its ease of use and high efficiency. The utilization of high-carbon content industrial by-products in such applications can present significant economic and environmental advantages. In this study, batch adsorption tests and petrographic analyses were used to investigate the adsorption of two nonpolar petroleum contaminants, naphthalene and -xylene, onto seven fly ashes with varying carbon contents, with powdered activated carbon (PAC) as a control. Six equilibrium isotherm models were used to evaluate the batch data. The results yielded nonlinear sorption isotherms characterized by high sorption capacity at low concentrations. The naphthalene and -xylene adsorption capacity of the fly ashes was correlated with the unburned carbon content, specific surface area of the sorbent, and the percentage of the anisotropic and isotropic carbon content of the ash. On the basis of the Polanyi-Dubinin-Manes model, a pore-filling mechanism is the dominant mechanism for the adsorption of the nonpolar organic chemicals onto PAC, whereas the adsorption onto fly ash is likely to be governed by the unburned carbon content and the specific surface area of the ash.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for this project was provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Power Plant Research Program (PPRP), Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), and U.S. Federal Highway AdministrationFHA Recycled Materials Resource Center (RMRC). Additional funding for the primary writer was provided by the Maryland Water Resources Research Center (MWRRC). All funding is gratefully acknowledged. The opinions expressed in this paper are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the SHA, PPRP, RMRC, MWRRC or the fly ash suppliers.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 5 • May 2011
Pages: 377 - 387
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 26, 2010
Accepted: Nov 5, 2010
Published online: Apr 15, 2011
Published in print: May 1, 2011
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