Adsorption of volatile benzene series compounds by surface-modified glass fibers: kinetics, thermodynamic adsorption efficiencies, and mechanisms.

The presence of volatile benzene series compounds (VBSCs) in the environment is continually increasing, with the potential for negative effects on human health. It is therefore important to develop new materials for the adsorption of these compounds using various modification techniques. Glass fibers are a promising adsorbent for VBSCs and offer a number of advantages. In the present work, the surfaces of glass fibers were modified using hydrogen peroxide, a sodium hydroxide solution, or Piranha solution (a mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide). The adsorption characteristics of the resulting specimens were investigated, employing 10 volatile benzene-based compounds, and the activated glass fibers showed significantly improved adsorption efficiencies. The fibers activated with the Piranha solution were further modified with a triethoxysilyl benzene compound to obtain an aryl-modified material that demonstrated enhanced adsorption of aniline, salicylaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, and xylene relative to that obtained from a combination of polyurethane foam and XAD-2 resin. The adsorption efficiency of benzyl alcohol by these aryl glass fibers was found to be as high as 93% and the adsorption mechanism is believed to be associated with hydrogen bonding and π-π conjugation. This study provides a reliable technique for the quantification of VBSCs and a basis for the evaluation of various adsorption materials.