Validation of Flory-Huggins Model for Phenol Adsorption by Parthe-nium Hysterophorus in A Batch System

Abstract

Parthenium hysterophorus weed powder was studied as adsorbent for phenol adsorption from its aqueous standard-ized solution. The adsorption of pollutant was found improving with an increase of biomass dosage and contact time. The intraparticle diffusion of phenol onto adsorbent surface was identified to be the rate limiting step. Linear form of Flory-Huggins model revealed preeminence to Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich due to high-est value of R2. The remediation process was figured out as a physisorption rather than a chemical one based on value of E (0.21KJ/mol). Active sites of sorbent surface identified by FT-IR were oxygen containing functional groups. Recent study proposes cost effective utilization of toxic allergent for treatment of toxic waste.