MTBE adsorption on surface modified adsorbent Kaolin-KOH – A study on Kinetic equilibrium and surface morphology

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-cost adsorbents for the removal of MTBE by employing natural kaolin clay with surface modification by KOH. The feasibility of MTBE examination by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in aqueous solution was investigated. To get rid of impurities, the kaolin clay goes through a beneficiated process. Then, the thermal procedure was carried out at 990°C to prepare the adsorbent. XRD, SEM, and FTIR were used to characterize the geochemical and surface characteristics of the kaolin adsorbent. Basic operation parameters were evaluated in the batch experiment, including beginning MTBE concentrations, pH, contact time, and adsorbent dosage. For three different sized columns that were 12cm, 8cm, and 4cm, respectively, the percentage removal efficiency for MTBE was recorded as 97.79%, 99.08%, and 98.13%. This study demonstrated that the adsorbent's contact time and retention period are crucial for the elimination of MTBE, as demonstrated by the Thomas model and Thomson model with R2 values of 97.81, 99.21, and 98.36.