The Removal of Phenol Through Adsorption onto Synthetic Calcium Phosphates – A Study Encompassing Analyses of Kinetics and Thermodynamics

Abstract

The characteristics and suitability of hydroxyapatite (HAP), tricalcium apatite phosphate (PTCa), and octocalcium apatite phosphate (OCPa), which possess similar attributes to those of an ideal adsorbent, were investigated to determine their efficacy in phenol removal. The aim of this paper is to assess the adsorption behavior of phenol on phosphates powders synthesized by the co-precipitation method at ambient temperature. Furthermore, the impact of initial phenol quantities and thermal conditions on the adsorption process was explored. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the formation of HAP, PTCa, and OCPa structures under room temperature conditions. The sample morphologies were subjected to scrutiny utilizing MEB together with X-ray analysis. Additionally, chemical analysis revealed that Ca/P = 1.6, 1.5, and 1.33 for HAP, PTCa, and OCPa, respectively. The synthesized powders exhibited adsorption abilities of 2.86, 2.74, and 2.52 mg/g for HAP, PTCa, and OCPa, respectively, and reached equilibrium in approximately 80 minutes. The study revealed that the experimental data are appropriately represented by the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption equations for HAP and PTCa, and Langmuir model in the case of OCPa, as well as by the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics. Thermodynamic evaluations, including calculations of ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°, were performed. The results indicated that the adsorption mechanisms exhibited physical characteristics, were thermally absorbing in the case of HAP and exothermic for the other two phosphates, PTCa and OCPa, and occurred spontaneously.