Nanostructured activated carbon xerogels for removal of methomyl pesticide

AbstractThree nanoporous activated carbon xerogels were synthesized by chemical activation of resorcinol–formaldehyde xerogel (RFX) with activating agents such as monoethanol amine (CX-MEA), phosphoric acid (CX-HPO), and potassium hydroxide (CX-KOH), respectively. The effect of activating agents on the internal porosity, structure, and surface functional groups was investigated using N2 gas adsorption–desorption, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analyzer, and TEM techniques. High values of surface area and total pore volume of 1,146 and 1,700  m2/g, 0.9446 and 1.668 cm3/g were found in the carbon xerogels CX-HPO and CX-KOH, respectively. The capacity of the produced carbons to remove the methomyl pesticide by adsorption from aqueous solution was explored. It was found that the adsorption capacity increased sharply with the increase in the surface area and mesopore volume. Equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models. The batch stud...