Thermodynamics and kinetics of fuel oxygenate adsorption into granular activated carbon

The removal of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) from water by granular activated carbon (GAC) was studied at different temperatures. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm coefficients were developed based on linearized forms of the models. The results show the dependence of the isotherms with temperature. Data obtained from the kinetic studies were treated according to various kinetic models with the second-order model being the most suitable overall. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) for the adsorption process were calculated, and the results suggest that the nature of adsorption is endothermic, spontaneous, and favorable. According to the values of activation energy and enthalpy, the adsorption of both compounds in the studied GAC is in the range of physisorption.