Adsorption removal of organic chlorine and bromine compounds from water using temperature-sensitive polymer hydrogel with temperature swing

Adsorption removal of organic chlorine and bromine compounds from water was carried out using a temperature-sensitive polymer hydrogel synthesized from polyvinylalcohol (PVA). We previously reported that the volume and surface properties of temperature-sensitive polymer hydrogel changed with temperature in the range from 275 K to 323 K, and that the amount of adsorbed 1, 2-dichloroethane increased remarkably at temperatures above about 310 K. In this study, we examined the adsorption characteristics of toxic organic compounds in water using temperature sensitive hydrophilic hydrogel. Ten organic compounds, namely, chloroform, bromoform, trichloroethylene, phenol, p-chlorophenol, o-chlorophenol, m-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and benzoic acid, were used for adsorption removal test. It was found that the amount of adsorbed organic compound also increased at temperatures above about 310 K, and that the driving force for adsorption of an organic compound onto PVA polymer hydrogel with temperature swing is hydrophobic interaction.