Adsorption of Pesticides onto Granular Activated Carbon: Determination of Surface Diffusivities Using Simple Batch Experiments

The Homogeneous Surface Diffusion Model (HSDM) has been successfully used to predict the adsorption kinetics for several chemicals inside batch adsorber vessels. In addition to the adsorption equilibrium, this model is based on external mass transfer and surface diffusion. This paper presents the determination of the surface diffusion coefficient (Ds) using a differential column batch reactor (DCBR). The adsorption kinetics for three pesticides onto granular activated carbon have been established experimentally. Their corresponding three diffusion coefficients were determined by fitting the computer simulations to the experimental concentration-time data. The results show that this original apparatus increases by an order of magnitude the range of reachable diffusion coefficient compared to perfectly mixed contactors. Moreover the computed Ds values are more accurate because of the better assessment of the external mass transfer coefficient (kf) for fixed beds.