Enhanced sorption of phenanthrene on activated carbon in surfactant solution

Distribution of a hazardous hydrophobic organic compound (HOC) and a nonionic surfactant in aqueous/activated carbon systems was investigated. Phenanthrene was selected as a representative HOC and Triton X-100 as a surfactant. Three activated carbons that differed in size (Darco 20–40, 12–20 and 4–12 mesh sizes) were used in the adsorption experiments. The system was analyzed using a mathematical partitioning model and compared with intrinsic sorption of phenanthrene without the effect of sorbed surfactant. Phenanthrene was sorbed onto activated carbon in a greater amount than an estimated value by intrinsic sorption, even though surfactant molecules covered most of surfaces. The sorbed surfactant was much more effective as a sorbent for phenanthrene, in the range of 1.2–98 for effectiveness factor, than was activated carbon, particularly at high surfactant doses. We introduced surface molar solubilization ratio (MSR s) for sorbed micelles of surfactant and mathematically estimated using effectiveness factor and available carbon fraction of activated carbon after surfactant sorption. The MSR s for sorbed surfactant was 5–46 times higher than the MSR for micellar surfactant in bulk solution. The sorbed surfactant onto activated carbon can more effectively remove hazardous organic compounds in liquid environmental samples.