doiSerbia

Zeolites as alcohol adsorbents from aqueous solutions

Cekova Blagica (School of Chemistry and Technology 'Maria Curie Sklodovska', Skopje, Macedonia)
Kocev Dragi (School of Chemistry and Technology 'Maria Curie Sklodovska', Skopje, Macedonia)
Kolcakovska Elena (School of Chemistry and Technology 'Maria Curie Sklodovska', Skopje, Macedonia)
Stojanova Daniela (School of Chemistry and Technology 'Maria Curie Sklodovska', Skopje, Macedonia)

The potential usage of zeolites as adsorbents for the removal of organic molecules from water was investigated in a series of experiments with aqueous solutions of lower alcohols. This could represent a simple solution to the problem of cleaning up industrial wastewater as well as recovering valuable chemicals at relatively low costs. Adsorption isotherms of the Langmuir type were applied, and calculations showed that the amount of propanol adsorbed on silicalite corresponded to approximately 70% of the pore volume. The adsorption process is simple, and recovery of the more concentrated products is easily done by heat treatment and/or at lowered pressures. Adsorption experiments with aqueous acetone showed that silicalite had approximately the same adsorption capacity for acetone as for n-propanol. Heats of adsorption were determined calorimetrically.

Keywords: zeolite, adsorbent, alcohols, Langmuir isotherm