Investigation of rice husk derived activated carbon for removal of nitrate contamination from water

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 630; pp. 1237 - 1245
• Main Authors: Satayeva, Aliya R., Howell, Carol A., Korobeinyk, Alina V., Jandosov, Jakpar, Inglezakis, Vassilis J., Mansurov, Zulkhair A., Mikhalovsky, Sergey V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15-07-2018
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Biomass; Nitrate ions adsorption; Nitrogen functionalization; Rice husk carbonization; Surface modification; Surface modification; Nitrate ions adsorption; Biomass; Activated carbon; Rice husk carbonization; Nitrogen functionalization
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.329

Development of porous carbons with high specific surface area (>1200mg−1) targeted at nitrate removal from aqueous solutions is investigated by chemical activation of carbonized rice husk. Potassium carbonate is used as activating and desilicating agent. The effect of post-synthetic treatment by gas phase ammoxidation with ozone/ammonia or oxidation with concentrated nitric acid followed by nitrification with urea on main physicochemical properties and on the effectiveness of the activated carbons in nitrate removal is compared with those determined for a pristine activated carbonized rice husk sample. The two-fold enhancement of nitrate removal by the urea-modified activated carbon in comparison with pristine and ammoxidated sample is in direct correlation with the development of surface basic groups.
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•Carbonized rice husk was activated yielding activated carbons with high surface area;•Activated carbons (AC) were nitrified through ammoxidation or modification with urea;•The nitrified AC surface basicity act as adsorption sites towards nitrate ions.