Adsorptive Removal of Phosphate from Water by Ammonia Gas Activated Polyacrylonitrile Fiber

Commercially available oxidized black colored polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber was heat treated above 900 degrees C under helium or ammonia gas flow. Ammonia gas treatment made specific surface area of the oxidized PAN increase from 7 m(2)/g to 1000 m(2)/g or more, becoming activated carbon fiber (ACF), whereas helium treatment resulted in the maximum surface area of only 60 m(2)/g. Adsorption of phosphate improved from 0.022 mmol/g for oxidized PAN to 0.057 mmol/g for the helium treatments at pH range of 5-6. In case of ammonia treatment, the adsorption amount of phosphate attained 0.056 to 0.17 mmol/g in maximum, depending on the treating temperature ranging from 925 to 975 degrees C. The adsorption sites for negatively charged phosphate could be estimated to be positively charged quaternary nitrogen species generated on PAN fiber surface by the heat treatment. Langmuir adsorption affinity of PAN-ACF was derived from isotherms to be 0.6 L/mmol or more; moderate adsorption affinity was exhibited.