Kinetics of Isothermal Nicotine Adsorption from the Aqueous Solution onto the USY Zeolite

The kinetics of isothermal adsorption of nicotine from an aqueous solution onto hydrophobic zeolite type USY was investigated. The adsorption isotherms of nicotine on zeolite type USY were measured in the temperature range from 298 to 322 K. Specific shape parameters of the adsorption degree curves were determined. The changes in the specific shape parameters of the adsorption degree curves with temperature and the kinetic parameters of nicotine adsorption (E-a, In A) were determined. The kinetic model of nicotine adsorption, [1 - (1 - alpha)(1/2)] = kt, was established by using the model-fitting method. It was found that the nicotine adsorption was a kinetically controlled process which was determined by the rate of bidimensional movement of the boundary layer of the adsorption phase. Nicotine is most probably chemisorbed onto the acidic centers of zeolite type USY.