Uptake of aniline and nitrobenzene from aqueous solution by organo-zeolite

Abstract

Adsorption mechanisms of toxic non-ionic organic contaminants (NOCs), aniline and nitrobenzene, with natural-zeolite andorgano-zeolite (OZ) were investigated in both batch and continuous systems. In batch tests, the adsorption capacity ofaniline and nitrobenzene onto natural zeolite surface is very low or almost nil but becomes significant upon modifying thezeolite surface by hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA). A partitioning mechanism is proposed to be responsible for the adsorption of NOCs onto OZ. The effectiveness of the partitioning mechanism is directly connected with hydrophobicproperties of the NOCs. The column tests were carried out as an indicator for continuous system. The breakthrough curveswere constructed for OZ/NOC system and the adsorption capacity of NOCs onto OZ under the present conditions weredetermined as 2.36 and 3.25 mg per gram of OZ, for aniline and nitrobenzene, respectively. A schematic model is proposedto account for the adsorption of NOCs onto OZ.