Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.02.008
Title (Primary) The power of power: electrokinetic control of PAH interactions with exfoliated graphite
Author Qin, J.; Moustafa, A.; Harms, H.; El-Din, M.G.; Wick, L.Y.
Source Titel Journal of Hazardous Materials
Year 2015
Department UMB
Volume 288
Page From 25
Page To 33
Language englisch
Keywords Exfoliated graphite; DC electric field; Electroosmosis; Sorption; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
UFZ wide themes RU3;
Abstract Exfoliated graphite (EG) exhibits exceptional sorption capacity for petroleum and dissolved hydrocarbons owing to its highly hydrophobic surface and wide pore size distribution. The high price of preparing EG, however, restricts its application. Methods which increase the rate or extent of sorption to EG even further are thus longed for. Here, we assess the effects of weak direct current (DC) fields on the sorption of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon phenanthrene (PHE) to EG. DC applied to an ionic solution in a solid matrix invokes electroosmotic flow (EOF), i.e., the surface charge-induced movement of the solution. EG was exposed to weak DC fields in the presence of dissolved PHE to test if EOF increases transport of PHE to poorly accessible sorption sites. DC fields increased PHE sorption rates in EG sevenfold and reduced the desorption rate of sorbed PHE by >99%. EOF thus appeared to be highly effective in translocating PHE into pores, which contribute most of the sorption sites, but are difficult to access in the absence of EOF by molecular diffusion only. The observed ‘power of power’ may be used to kinetically regulate the interaction of sorbates with EG or other porous sorbents in environmental (bio-) technology.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=16090
Qin, J., Moustafa, A., Harms, H., El-Din, M.G., Wick, L.Y. (2015):
The power of power: electrokinetic control of PAH interactions with exfoliated graphite
J. Hazard. Mater. 288 , 25 - 33 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.02.008