Abstract
Dechlorination mechanisms of aromatic compounds such as chlorophenol and chloroaniline under various conditions (e.g. dissolved oxygen in solution, chemical property of adsorbents, different adsorbates) were examined in the process of adsorption onto activated carbons. The dechlorination reaction occurred at ambient temperature and pressure when chlorophenol and chloroaniline were adsorbed onto activated carbon. The introduction of nitrogen in the carbon frame could enhance the reduction ability of activated carbon, which promoted the dechlorination reaction. The advance of the reaction would be related to the oxygen activated through radical reaction on the surface of activated carbon. Therefore, the dissolved oxygen in solution was necessary for dechloriantion, and would be one of the important factors for the dechlorination reaction. The amount of dechlorination was greatly differed according to the adsorbates. The adsorption of 4-chlorophenol on activated carbon caused an increase of chloride ion concentration in solution, while few concentration was detected in the case of 3-chlorophenol adsorption. The effects of solution temperature, pH and particle size of activated carbon were also investigated to inspect dechlorination mechanisms of aromatic compounds.
