Activated carbons tailored to remove different pollutants from gas streams and from solution

Non-activated carbon 'A', physically-activated carbons P1-P4, zinc chloride-activated carbons Z1-Z4 and potassium sulphide-activated carbons K1-K4 were prepared from Maghara coal (Sinai,Egypt). The surface areas of these carbons were determined by investigating the adsorption of carbon dioxide at 298 K and of nitrogen at 77 K. The decolourization powers of the carbons were determined from methylene blue adsorption at 308 K. The adsorption of methanol, benzene, n-hexane, n-octane and alpha-pinene at 308 K was also determined using equilibrium and flow techniques. The removal of ammonia and phenol from water was investigated on some selected samples. The activated carbons showed high capacities towards the removal of organic pollutants from water and from gas streams via adsorption. Their capacity towards a particular pollutant depends on the method of activation and is related to the textural and/or the chemistry of the carbon surface.