Removal of phenol from radioactive waste solutions using activated granular Carbon and activated vermiculite

The efficiency of both activated granular carbon (AGC) and activated vermiculite (AV) in removal of phenol from aqueous waste solutions is of great interest. The aim of the present study is to compare the absorbance capacities of both AGC and AV for the removal of phenol from radioactive waste solutions and to identify the factors affecting the sorption process. The experimental results were in the form of batch sorption measurements for the removal of phenol at ambient temperature (29 ± 1 degree C) and for times up to 40 min and 180 min for AGC and AV, respectively. The results indicated that activated carbon has good efficiency to adsorb phenol. Freundlich equation has been fitted to both AGC and AV for the contaminant removal. The adsorption capacities of both AGC and AV to phenol were 17.4 mg g-1 and 4.5 mg g-1, respectively. The maximum desorption percent of phenol from both loaded AGC and loaded AV were 9 % and 0 %, respectively, and it attained within about 200 min. accordingly, it is recommended that activated carbon is preferred in the applied field for removing phenol from radioactive aqueous wastes