Removal of chromium (VI) using activated carbon-supported-functionalized carbon nanotubes

The powdered activated carbon (AC) supported by carbonaceous nano-adsorbents were examined to remove hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from aqueous solution The adsorption behaviour of micro-level concentration of Cr(VI) on those nano-adsorbents was investigated as a function of the experimental conditions such as the contact time, the pH, the dosage of adsorbent, and the initial concentration of Cr(VI). The structural characterization of the adsorbents was accomplished by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Adsorption isotherms including Freundlich and Langmuir have been applied to study the equilibrium of the adsorption behaviour and identify the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (AC/f-MWCNTs) and activated carbon-functionalized carbon nanospheres (AC/f-CNSs). Langmuir isotherm model showed that the adsorption process was monolayer type under working with an adsorption capacity of 113.29 and 105.48 mg/g, respectively, for AC/f-MWCNTs and (AC/f-CNSs).