Phenolic carbon tailored for the removal of polar organic contaminants from water: A solution to the metaldehyde problem?

• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.04.048
• Publication Date: 2014-05-14T08:32:02Z
• Authors: Rosa Busquets; Oleksandr P. Kozy...; Raymond L.D. Whitby; Stephen R. Tennison; Andrew B. Cundy
• Keywords: Carbon fibers

Current water treatment technologies are inefficient at treating contaminated with metaldehyde, an 8-member cyclic tetramer of acetaldehyde widely used as a molluscicide in large-scale agriculture and gardens, which has been frequently observed to breach European regulatory limits the UK due its high solubility frequent use. Here, we examine controls on metaldehyde adsorption onto activated phenolic carbon, namely influence activation degree, pore size distribution, particle size, point zero charge surface functionalisation, by synthesising "tailored" carbons from resin. Metaldehyde found be independent specific area (SBET), is highly unusual for process, favoured (a) microporosity narrow (b) presence mesopores allow efficient diffusive transport, (c) absence negatively charged functional groups. The maximum capacity resin-derived carbons, tested elevated (i.e. exceeding environmental levels) concentration 64 mg metaldehyde/L, was 76 metaldehyde/g carbon compared 13 industrial granular (GAC). GAC showed similar kinetics uptake occurring within 30 min under batch conditions, although isotherms indicate much stronger carbons. Adsorption efficiency maintained even background concentrations organic matter inorganic salts, indicating potential utility these "designer" waste and/or drinking treatment.