Insights into Equilibrium and Adsorption Rate of Phenol on Activated Carbon Pellets Derived from Cigarette Butts

Abstract

In the present work, the preparation of activated carbon pellets from cigarette butts by thermal treatment was evaluated. The morphological, textural, topological, and surface chemical properties were studied by SEM-EDX, N2 adsorption, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy. For adsorption assays, activated carbon was tested for the adsorption of phenol as a model molecule at different solution pH, temperature, and type of water. In addition, leaching tests before and after carbonization were conducted to evaluate the lixiviation of ions present in the solid. The results revealed a microporous material, composed of cylindrical fibers (thickness of 13 µm) with a microporous area of 713 m2/g and narrow and uniform slit-shaped pores (0.4–0.8 nm). The surface chemistry analysis evidenced the presence of oxygenated groups (carboxylic, esters, and phenolics). Activated carbon leaching tests indicated that the concentrations of the leached ions did not exceed the maximum permissible limit for drinking water. Phenol adsorption revealed an exothermic process with a maximum adsorption capacity of 272 mg/g at 10 °C. Finally, it was confirmed that phenol diffusion was drastically affected by hindered phenomena due to the similarity in the molecular size of phenol and the average size of micropores, and as a result an effective diffusion coefficient between 6.10 × 10−0 and 5.50 × 10−12 cm2/s and a maximum tortuosity value of 3.3 were obtained.

Novel use of activated carbon fabric to mitigate smoke taint in grapes and wine

“…Surface characterisation, however, by SEM, EDX analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy did not provide conclusive evidence of smoke adsorption by the AC fabrics. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the surface of fabric fibres was coated with AC (Figure S2), while EDX analysis confirmed carbon (86.42-93.90%) and oxygen (5.8-11.06%) as the main chemical elements of the AC fabrics (Table S4), in agreement with previous research (Medellín-Castillo et al 2021). Small changes in elemental composition occurred with repeated smoke exposure, but an increase in oxygen content for the heavier AC fabric (from 5.80 to 8.74%) was the only statistically significant compositional change detected.…”

Upcycling of the Used Cigarette Butt Filters through Pyrolysis Process: Detailed Kinetic Mechanism with Bio-Char Characterization

“…Among the scientific literature, there are new articles that were published on recycling CBs, and many of them have encouraging results. However, some of the approaches have shown promising results in terms of CBs and cigarette filters (CFs) recycling in the fired clay bricks [ 10 ] and asphalt concrete [ 11 ], as the active carbons (ACs), as the sound of absorbing material [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], the thermal insulator [ 16 ], anode materials manufacturing [ 17 ], supercapacitors production [ 18 ], the fabrication of the environmental energy-enhanced solar steam evaporator [ 19 ], etc. Additionally, CBs have found application in the synthesis of nanostructured MnO x catalysts for NO x reduction within flaming combustion and smoldering processes [ 20 ], as well as in the CB-assisted combustion synthesis of modified CaO -based sorbents for high-temperature CO 2 capture [ 21 ].…”

Adsorption of Hydrogen Sulfide on Activated Carbon Materials Derived from the Solid Fibrous Digestate

“…Higher pressure favored the adsorption phenomenon, regardless. Nahum et al [ 20 ] applied physical activation under CO 2 atmosphere, at 850 °C for 2 h on carbon materials derived from cigarette butts and achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 269 mg[C 6 H 6 O]/g of phenol at 10 °C, concluding that for phenol adsorption, the microporosity of the material is a crucial parameter. Moreover, ACs show good adsorbance behavior on the aqueous phase to remove toxic organic chemical compounds, such as benzene derivatives [ 21 ], and work well as heavy metal adsorbents [ 22 ].…”