SURFACTANT-ENHANCED CARBON REGENERATION IN LIQUID-PHASE APPLICATION

In surfactant-enhanced carbon regeneration, a concentrated surfactant solution is passed over spent activated carbon to desorb the solutes i n an in-situ process. The solutes solubilize into micelles in the rege nerant solution. Residual adsorbed surfactant can be removed by a wate r flush. In this study, phenol is the solute and sodium dodecyl sulfat e is the anionic surfactant used. Previous studies have measured the a bility of the regenerant to remove the solute from the carbon. This st udy presents the breakthrough curves for subsequent adsorption cycles following the regeneration. The reduction of the effective carbon adso rption capacity is less if a higher regenerant concentration of surfac tant, more pore volumes of regenerant, or more pore volumes of water f lush solution are used. Effective adsorption capacities of over 50% of that on virgin carbon were observed on regenerated carbon.