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Molecular oxygen and the adsorption of phenols—effect of functional groups
Author(s) -
Vidic Radisav D.,
Suidan Makram T.,
Sorial George A.,
Brenner Richard C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/wer.65.2.8
Subject(s) - adsorption , chemistry , phenol , polymerization , phenols , nitro , oxygen , molecule , oxidative coupling of methane , polymer , activated carbon , carbon fibers , organic chemistry , catalysis , composite number , materials science , alkyl , composite material
This study reveals that the presence of molecular oxygen (oxic conditions) has a significant impact on the exhibited adsorptive capacity of granular activated carbon (GAC) for several phenolic compounds. The increase in the GAC adsorptive capacity under oxic conditions results from polymerization of these adsorbates on the carbon surface. The mechanism of polymer formation is through oxidative coupling of phenolic molecules. The extent of an increase in the GAC adsorptive capacity is in accordance with the ease of oxidation of these compounds. However, substituting a nitro group on the parent phenol molecule suppressed polymerization reactions and no increase in the GAC adsorptive capacity was observed under oxic conditions for these substituents.