Adsorption of tetrabromobisphenol A in aqueous solutions by porous carbon nanospheres

Porous carbon nanospheres (PCNs) were prepared by a hydrothermal method using glucose as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the PCNs were characterized by FT-IR, TGA and SEM. The PCNSs can be well dispersed in water and settle within 12 h, which is beneficial for separation from solutions. The adsorption of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in aqueous solutions by PCNs was investigated. Results indicate that the maximum adsorption capacity of PCMSs for TBBPA is 10.91 mg/g at 293 K. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm are well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir model, respectively. The adsorption is favorable under neutral conditions. PCNs is a promising adsorbent for water treatment.