Synthesis, characterization and performance in arsenic removal of iron-doped activated carbons prepared by impregnation with Fe(Ⅲ) and Fe(Ⅱ)

摘要

Arsenic removal from natural well water from the state of Chihuahua (Mexico) is investigated by adsorption using a commercial activated carbon (AC). The latter is used as such, or after oxidation by several chemicals in aqueous solution: nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonium persulphate. Raw and oxidised activated carbons are fully characterised (elementary analysis, surface chemistry, pore texture parameters, pH_(zc), and TEM observation). Adsorption of As is measured in the aforementioned water, containing ca. 300 ppb of arsenic: removal of As is poor with the raw AC, and only the most oxidised carbons exhibit higher performances. By contrast, iron-doped ACs are much more efficient for that purpose, though their As uptake strongly depends on their preparation conditions: a number of samples were synthesised by impregnation of raw and oxidised ACs with HCl aqueous solutions of either FeCl_3 or FeCl_2 at various concentrations and various pH. It is shown that iron(Ⅱ) chloride is better for obtaining high iron contents in the resultant ACs (up to 8.34 wt.%), leading to high As uptake, close to 0.036 mg As/g C. In these conditions, 100% of the As initially present in the natural well water is removed, as soon as the Fe content of the adsorbent is higher than 2 wt.%.