Adsorption properties of nitrobenzene in wastewater with silica aerogels

The adsorption properties of nitrobenzene from wastewater by hydrophobic silica aerogels were investigated. The effects of adsorption intensity by pH value, adsorption temperature, adsorption time and the amount of the silica aerogels were studied. The adsorption principle and mechanism of silica aerogels adsorbing nitrobenzene were discussed along with the Freundlich equation. The results showed that the adsorption intensity of the hydrophobic silica aerogels could reach 68.76% at better adsorption conditions of adsorption temperature 25°C, pH value 8.35, the amount of SiO 2 aerogels dosage 3.33 g/L, and adsorption time of 30 min, and that the adsorption properties were related to the hydrophobility of aerogels, surface area of organic solution, structure of aerogels.