The removal of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate by activated carbon modified with quaternary ammonium from aqueous solution

Activated carbon (AC) was modified via grafting quaternary ammonium for the selective adsorption of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) from aqueous solution. The surface modification of AC was confirmed by FT-IR, XPS and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the modified AC selectively adsorbed the anionic SDBS. Adsorption kinetics could be well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic equation (or three-stage intraparticle diffusion mode), adsorption isotherms fitted well with Langmuir model. Quaternary ammonium on AC enhanced electropositivity and led to the selective adsorption of SDBS.