Role of Activated Carbon in Water Treatment

Abstract

Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, zinc, aluminum, arsenic, nickel, chromium, and cobalt, are the common pollutants present within the environment from various natural and Industrial sources. Synthetic dyes are commonly used for dyeing and printing in a variety of industries. The traditional methods for the removal of heavy metals and dyes from wastewater are chemical precipitation, ion exchange, adsorption, membrane processes, and evaporation which require high capital investment and running costs. Activated carbon prepared from agricultural wastes and its by-products are good alternative sources for adsorption because they are low-cost, renewable sources with high carbon, volatile contents, low ash, and reasonable hardness. The preparation means of activated carbon are physical and chemical methods. The important advantages of chemical activation over physical activation are the process that can be accomplished even at lower temperatures and the yield obtained in chemical activation tends to be greater since burn-off char can be avoided. In this chapter, the removal of heavy metals and dyes, using activated carbon, which was prepared by using agricultural waste, biomass was presented. This helps the researchers to accumulate knowledge.

Innovations and challenges in adsorption-based wastewater remediation: A comprehensive review

“…Fortunately, several material classes exhibit remarkable resilience in these scenarios. Activated carbon, with its large surface area and diverse functional groups, excels in adsorbing organic pollutants across a wide pH range [ 41 ]. Modified clays like zeolites boast tunable pore sizes and surface charges, enabling targeted adsorption of specific contaminants even amidst fluctuating pH [ 42 , 43 ].…”

“…Its exceptional adsorption capabilities are attributed to its extensive surface area and porous structure. However, generating activated carbon can demand significant energy, and its effectiveness might decline over time, necessitating the need for regeneration or replacement [ 41 ]. Zeolites, another category of adsorbents, are effective in removing cations, such as heavy metals, from water.…”

A Review of Bio-Based Activated Carbon Properties Produced from Different Activating Chemicals during Chemicals Activation Process on Biomass and Its Potential for Malaysia

“…The activation process is accomplished by heating and steaming the coal and biomass, which creates a structure with minuscule holes and fissures in the precursor material that may catch and retain particles from gases or liquids traveling through it [1,3,10]. Due to its enormous microporous structure, activated carbon is frequently utilized in a variety of industrial treatments, including chemical treatment, protective suits, water and air filtration, and environmental remediation [3,[11][12][13][14].…”

“…Heavy metals and anions present in drinking water become a challenging public issue due to their causes in human health. Jaya Rajan and Indira Anish [13] pointed out that a removal efficiency of 150 mg/g was observed for cadmium removal using biomass-activated carbon. Aziz et al [23] found out that the activated carbon produced in his study was efficient at adsorbing contaminants from water, with removal efficiencies up to 100%.…”