Modeling and experimental study of vanadium adsorption by iron-nanoparticle-impregnated activated carbon

Iron-nanoparticle-impregnated activated carbon (IrAC) nanocomposite was synthesized as a new vanadium adsorbent. The vanadium adsorption rate for commercial activated carbon (AC) and IrAC nanocomposite was investigated experimentally in a batch system. The vanadium adsorption rate for AC and IrAC was then modeled using a film–pore–surface diffusion model. The resulting equations were solved numerically by the line method using MATLAB. The main parameters such as the external (film) mass transfer coefficient, pore diffusion coefficient, and surface diffusion coefficient were determined by solving the model equations for different temperatures and agitation rates. The results show that external mass transfer and pore diffusion are the important factors for vanadium adsorption using AC. However, external mass transfer and pore and surface diffusion are the important steps for vanadium adsorption on IrAC.