Adsorption capacities of activated carbons for geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol vary with activated carbon particle size: Effects of adsorbent and adsorbate characteristics

The adsorption capacities of nine activated carbons for geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) were evaluated. For some carbons, adsorption capacity substantially increased when carbon particle diameter was decreased from a few tens of micrometers to a few micrometers, whereas for other carbons, the increase of adsorption capacity was small for MIB and moderate for geosmin. An increase of adsorption capacity was observed for other hydrophobic adsorbates besides geosmin and MIB, but not for hydrophilic adsorbates. The parameter values of a shell adsorption model describing the increase of adsorption capacity were negatively correlated with the oxygen content of the carbon among other characteristics. Low oxygen content indicated low hydrophilicity. The increase of adsorption capacity was related to the hydrophobic properties of both adsorbates and activated carbons. For adsorptive removal of hydrophobic micropollutants such as geosmin, it is therefore recommended that less-hydrophilic activated carbons, such as coconut-shell-based carbons, be microground to a particle diameter of a few micrometers to enhance their equilibrium adsorption capacity. In contrast, adsorption by hydrophilic carbons or adsorption of hydrophilic adsorbates occur in the inner pores, and therefore adsorption capacity is unchanged by particle size reduction. [Display omitted] •Hydrophobicity is a key to dependence of adsorption capacity on carbon particle size.•Hydrophobic adsorbates including geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol were tested.•Low oxygen content indicates less hydrophilic activated carbon.•In such cases, equilibrium adsorption capacity is higher for superfine PAC than PAC.•This is because these adsorbates adsorb in the external region of carbon particles.