Adsorption of ethylmethylamine vapor by activated carbon filters

The adsorption of high concentrations of ethylmethylamine (EMA) vapor from a humid air stream by an activated carbon bed has been studied. The adsorption behavior is quite different from the adsorption of trace quantities from an aqueous solution. The introduction of surface groups has no apparent direct effect on EMA adsorption. However, because these surface groups enhance water adsorption from the air stream and because adsorbed water hinders organic vapor adsorption, the modified carbons exhibit a lower apparent capacity and slower adsorption kinetics for EMA than the untreated ones. EMA is adsorbed from the vapor phase by a different mechanism than it is adsorbed from the liquid phase. The effect of humidity was evaluated and shown to influence the breakthrough time.