The results of Boehm titration give a quantitative estimate of the various acidic functional groups present in a given sample of activated carbon. Are there any factors that determine the varying concentrations of phenolic, laconic and carboxylic acid groups? and is it possible that the amount of lactonic groups be higher than the other two?
The history of carbon treatment determines the amount of oxygen functional groups. It might be very difficult to control what forms on the carbon surface. For example, nitric acid oxidation may promote carboxylate group formation, whereas gas phase oxidation at high temperatures may promote lactones, phenols etc. You may have to cross-verify higher lactone content by an independent technique such as programmed thermal decomposition. Alternatively, lactones can be hydrolysed. If after hydrolysis, your carboxylate titration shows an increase in their conc. it must have come from lactones.
Above all, for any carbon characterization work, the material must be thoroughly clean (washed with water, and high purity solvents, etc,) otherwise the results are not reliable.
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