Removal of Phenol from Water by Adsorption Using Zeolites

Abstract

Adsorption has been investigated to remove phenol from an aqueous solution (concentration range from 0.1 to 1.6 g·L-1). Zeolites were used as adsorbents, and adsorption properties were compared to those of an activated carbon. To adsorb phenol selectively from water, adsorbents must be hydrophobic, i.e., zeolites owning a high Si/Al ratio. Thus, purely siliceous BEA zeolite (Si/Al = ∞) was used with success; the adsorption capacity was slightly higher at low phenol concentration (≤1.6 g·L-1) than the one of activated carbon (surface area close to 1150 m2·g-1). Furthermore, siliceous BEA zeolite appears as an efficient adsorbent able to be easily regenerated while keeping these initial properties.