Adsorption of p-nitrophenol on an activated carbon with different oxidations Original Research Article

An activated carbon prepared from olive stones has been modified through oxidation by nitric acid or sodium hypochlorite. These treatments introduced large amounts of oxygen groups, which were characterized by mass-spectrometry, temperature-programmed desorption (DTP–MS). Both CO2- and CO-evolving groups were created by these oxidation treatments. A part of these oxidized samples was then outgassed under vacuum up to 823 K in order to remove most of the CO2-evolving groups from their surface. Oxidized samples have a smaller surface area than the original sample. The subsequent partial outgassing increases the surface area which, however, does not reach the value it had before oxidation. p-Nitrophenol (PNP) adsorption isotherms from aqueous solutions were determined at 298 K for the original, oxidized, and partly outgassed samples. The results confirm the presence of an intermediate plateau at low equilibrium PNP concentration (at about 10 mg/l). The relative effects of textural versus surface chemistry on PNP uptakes are then discussed. The presence of CO-evolving groups showed no influence on PNP uptakes. The conclusion is that models in which carbonylic groups are basic adsorption sites for substituted phenols can be ruled out for the entire isotherm of PNP obtained with the original carbon. These models are also unlikely for PNP adsorption on oxidized and partly outgassed samples.