STUDY OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES ADSORPTION ONTO POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATIONIC SURFACTANT

Batch experiments for studing AHc adsorption onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) were performed for two pH (7,0 and 10,5) and with different concentrations of a cationic surfactant, the hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB): always an increasing of removal of AHc was found. The interactions between HTBA and commercial humic acids (HAc) showed a quantitative precipitation due to coulombic interactions. The part of soluble complex was not so easily absorbed onto PAC than alone HAc and so hindered their removal. The influence of the order of introduction of coadsorbates upon the adsorption of HAc, and the electrokinetic potential measures gave informations about the adsorption mechanism.