Mechanism and performance for adsorption of 2-chlorophenol onto zeolite with surfactant by one-step process from aqueous phase

To decrease the power, material, and time consumption in wastewater treatment , a one-step process was performed to remove 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) from aqueous phase using zeolite and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Compared with the traditional two-step process, the one-step process used in this study achieved almost eight times higher 2-CP adsorption capacity within a shorter time and maintained high removal efficiencies (around 65%) in reuse tests, thus becoming an efficient and economically acceptable alternative process. For the one-step process, the kinetic data fitted well with a nonlinear pseudo-second-order model, and the isotherm data fitted well with the Dubinin-Astakhov (DA) model. The uptake of 2-CP was highly dependent on pH, increasing in the pH range of 3–6. The enhanced 2-CP removal in a one-step adsorption process can be explained by the larger amount of surfactant loading (≥   0.056   mmol/g), as determined from the total organic carbon (TOC) and zeta potential . Due to the formation of a loose CTAB bilayer, the hydrophobic partition and the interaction with the positively charged “head” of CTAB bilayers were decisive for the enhancement of pollutant adsorption. Therefore, organic pollutants could be removed from water alongside the synthesis of hydrophobic zeolite in a one-step process, which is a promising technology for the in-situ treatment of organic wastewater.