PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ACTIVE-CARBON ADSORBENTS FOR WASTE-WATER TREATMENT FROM ELUTRILITHE

Active carbon adsorbents were prepared from natural elutrilithe by che mical activation with K2CO3. The effect of pyrolysis temperature and t ime and K2CO3/elutrilithe ratio on the surface area, porosity, and ash content of the adsorbents was studied. Various prior and post treatme nts have been tried to improve the quality of the adsorbents. An ideal active carbon adsorbent with a BET surface area of 1236 m(2)/g and a total pore volume of 0.679 cm(3)/g has been obtained. The adsorbent is hydrophobic in nature and exhibits large adsorption capacities for va rious phenolic compounds from aqueous solutions. (C) 1997 Academic Pre ss.