# Removal of Butyl Mercaptan from Gas Streams by Reactive Adsorption

## TL;DR

This paper explores using metal-doped activated carbon to remove a smelly gas pollutant from air streams.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the use of Cu, Fe, and Zn oxide-doped activated carbon for reactive adsorption of 1-butanethiol.

## Key findings

- Metal oxide-doped activated carbon effectively adsorbs 1-butanethiol from gas streams.
- Different metal oxides led to variations in adsorbent textural properties and adsorption capacity.
- Characterization techniques revealed differences in metal oxide cluster morphology on the carbon.

## Abstract

1-butanethiol, a volatile mercaptan that is harmful and has a persistent odor, was adsorbed from a gaseous stream onto granulated activated carbon (AC) that was doped with Cu, Fe, and Zn oxides. The adsorbents were prepared by precipitating salts of the respective metals using an ammonia solution, along with the inclusion of an anti-caking agent known as Pluronic-123. Characterization of the three prepared adsorbents was conducted using electron microscopy (SEM), textural analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR, and XRD. The study’s results indicate that the adsorbents exhibit different textural characteristics and variations in the size and shape of the metal oxide clusters deposited on the activated carbon. These differences also led to variations in the adsorption capacity for 1-butanethiol among the three adsorbents.