The examination of surface chemistry and porosity of carbon nanostructured adsorbents for 1-naphthol removal from petrochemical wastewater streams

Chemically modified mesoporous carbon (CMMC) and chemically modified activated carbon (CMAC) were prepared by an acid surface modification method from mesoporous carbon (MC) and commercial activated carbon (AC) by wet impregnation method. The structural order and textural properties of the nanoporous materials were studied by XRD and nitrogen adsorption. The presence of carboxylic functional groups on the carbon surface was confirmed by FTIR analyses. Adsorption of 1-naphthol over various porous adsorbents such as CMMC, CMAC, MC and AC was studied. The adsorption isotherms of 1-naphthol were in agreement with a Langmuir model; moreover, the uptake capacity of 1-naphthol followed the order: CMMC>MC>CMAC>AC.