Removal of phenols and nitrophenols from aquatic system using cibacron blue F3GA attached mphema

Phenols and nitrophenols are toxic to other organisms in aqueous media even at very low concentrations. Phenols are the most common pollutants in aqueous media. This study deals with the removal of phenols and nitrophenols from the aqueous media in a batch system by the use of Cibacron Blue F3GA attached of mPHEMA. The equilibrium time of the adsorption of phenols and nitrophenols, the effect of the initial concentration upon the adsorption rate, the effect of the pH and the possibility of regeneration have been examined. The adsorption phenomenon of the phenols and nitrophenols on Cibacron Blue F3GA attached of mPHEMA samples at different time ranges was investigated to elucidate the equilibrium times with increasing phenol and nitrophenol concentration. The amount of adsorption on to mPHEMA was observed to decrease in the order of 4-nitrophenol> 3-nitrophenol> and 2-nitrophenol> phenol and the maximum adsorption equilibrium time was found to be approximately 20 minutes.Cibacron Blue F3GA attached of mPHEMA was examined by the use of FTIR, SEM, EDX, DTA-TGA techniques before and after the adsorption process. Also the effect of the initial phenol and nitrophenols concentration on the removal efficiency and the related adsorption isotherms was investigated. The adsorption was observed to take place according to the Langmuir isotherm. Apart from those the possibility of regenerating the used Cibacron Blue F3GA attached of mPHEMA samples with the use of 30 % (v/v) methanol solution.