Liquid phase adsorption equilibrium of phenol and its derivatives on macroreticular adsorbents

Abstract

Liquid-phase adsorption equilibria of phenol, p-chlorophenol and p-cresol for macroreticular polymeric adsorbents, Amberlite XAD-4 and XAD-7, were measured over a wide range of concentration at three temperatures from 273 to 323 K, in order to find an equation which correlates the equilibrium data best. Among the theoretical equations proposed previously in the literature, the equation of Jossens et al. derived thermodynamically on the basis of a heterogeneous surface adsorption theory was proved to be most satisfactory over the entire range of concentration. All conditions assumed in the derivation of the equation were found to be valid. An equation based on the vacancy solution theory gave a fairly good representation. The equations proposed by Okazaki et al. and Toth, respectively, were not applicable to the present cases. The equilibrium data were also correlated by an adsorption potential theory, which enables us to predict the adsorption isotherm at different temperatures. © 1984, The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan. All rights reserved.