The removal characteristics of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) from an aqueous solution by commercial Wood-based Activated Carbon (WAC) have been studied. The effects of various experimental parameters were investigated using a batch adsorption technique. The adsorption capacity of 2,4-DNP by WAC increased with a decrease in the dosage and particle size of WAC, temperature and the initial pH of the solution, and increased with an increase in the initial concentration of the solution. The adsorption equilibrium data were best described by the Redlich-Peterson isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacities of 2,4-DNP by WAC were 573.07 mg/g at 293 K, 500.00 mg/g at 313 K, and 476.19 mg/g at 333 K, decreasing with increasing temperature. The kinetic data were well fitted to the pseudo-second-order model, and the results of the intra-particle diffusion model suggested that the adsorption process was mainly controlled by particle diffusion. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that the adsorption of 2,4-DNP by WAC was an endothermic and spontaneous process.

The adsorption ability of wood-based activated carbon to adsorb methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV) from aqueous solution has been investigated. Adsorption studies were carried out on the batch experiment at different initial MB and CV concentrations (MB=150 mg/L～400 mg/L, CV=50 mg/L～350 mg/L), contact time, and temperature. The results showed that the MB and CV adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic and intraparticle diffusion was the rate-limiting step. Adsorption equilibrium data of the adsorption process fitted very well to both Langmuir and Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacity (qm) by Langmuir constant was 416.7 mg/g for MB and 462.4 mg/g for CV. The thermodynamic parameters such as ΔH°, ΔS° and ΔG° were evaluated. The MB and CV adsorption process was found to be endothermic for the two dyes.