New activated carbon sorbent with the zeolite-like selectivity to capture tobacco-specific nitrosamines in solution

Abstract This paper reported the attempt of endowing activated carbon the capability of selectively adsorption like that of zeolite for the first time. To create the optimal microenvironment in the activated carbon made from coconut shell, the sorbent was carefully modified with moderate ferric acetate through impregnation followed by carbonization, producing lots of ferric oxide extra-fine particles mingled with carbon nanoparticles to reduce the pore size of activated carbon and to increase the surface roughness of pore wall. Consequently, new activated carbon sorbent trapped 60% of tobacco specific nitrosamines in the tobacco extract solution with the concentration of 1796 ng mL −1 , exhibiting the highest capacity (222 µg g −1 ) to date. Moreover, it showed a zeolite-like selectivity in the liquid adsorption to capture 98.5% of 4-methylnitrosamino-1-3-pyridyl-1-butanone because of the spindly shape of this strong carcinogen. Besides, distinguishable adsorption of tobacco specific nitrosamines from alkaloid by the new activated carbon sorbent in solution was discovered, providing a valuable clue for the development of new selective sorbents in environment protection.