Adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid pesticide by graphitic carbon nanostructures prepared from biomasses

Removal of a pesticide (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) from aqueous solution by magnetic and graphitic carbon nanostructures was studied from both equilibrium and kinetic point of view. The magnetic and graphitic carbon nanostructures as adsorbents were prepared from two different biomasses, cotton and filter paper. The resultant adsorbents were characterized with TEM and N-2 adsorption-desorption methods. The kinetic and equilibrium data were modeled with different models. The adsorption capacities for the prepared adsorbents from filter paper and cotton are about 77 and 33 mg/g, respectively. The effect of initial pH of solution on the pesticide removal efficiency was studied too. (C) 2012 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.