Study of adsorption of aniline and nitrobenzene from aqueous solutions by activated carbons obtained from fruit pits

Abstract

Aniline and nitrobenzene are hazardous organic pollutants commonly found in wastewater from the chemical, pharmaceutical, and textile industries. Nitrobenzene serves as the basis for the synthesis of aniline, a key chemical used in the production of numerous synthetic materials. All stages of the synthesis, transportation, and processing of these substances generate wastewater containing both the compounds themselves and their mixtures. This article examines the adsorption treatment of aqueous solutions containing aniline and nitrobenzene using crushed fruit pits (apricot, peach, and plum), which are widely available in Armenia, and activated carbons produced from them. The results obtained in the study confirm the effectiveness and potential of using the studied plant-derived carbon adsorbents for the treatment of wastewater containing mixtures of aromatic amines and nitro compounds. It is shown that carbon adsorbents obtained from agricultural waste possess a developed porous structure and high adsorption capacity for organic pollutants. Such sorbents are environmentally friendly and are a cost-effective alternative to commercial activated carbons. It has been established that activated carbon exhibits significantly higher adsorption capacity compared to crushed plum kernels.It has been proposed that when studying the purification of an aniline–nitrobenzene binary mixture from an aqueous solution, the process can be more effectively monitored using HPLC. This will allow for more efficient and effective monitoring during emergency situations at facilities handling aniline–nitrobenzene mixtures. It has been clearly established also that the adsorption of aniline and nitrobenzene from an aqueous mixture at low concentrations on activated carbon and crushed plum kernels is best described by the Langmuir model of monomolecular sorption.