Removal of benzene and toluene by carbonized bamboo materials modified with TiO2.

Carbonized moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) was coated with TiO(2) nanoparticles to enhance its removal efficiency of harmful gases. Carbonized bamboo-TiO(2) composite (CBC) was prepared by heating mixtures of carbonized bamboo powder (CB) and TiO(2) nanoparticles, denoted as CBM, under nitrogen condition. TiO(2) nanoparticle and carbonized bamboo powder were mixed with the mass ratios of 1/1 and 2/1, respectively. At the same mass ratio of TiO(2) to CB, the benzene and toluene removal efficiencies follow the trend: CBC>CBM>CB, which is consistent with the amount of TiO(2) validated by elemental analysis. Sorption mechanism of benzene and toluene by CB, CBM and CBC might belong to hydrophobic-hydrophobic interaction, observed by depletion of untreated bamboo (UB) carbohydrates during carbonization. Sorption kinetics was further analyzed, and optimal correlation was found by fitting with the Elovich kinetic equation.