Production of activated carbon from petroleum coke and its application in water treatment for the removal of metals and phenol

The feasibility of the reuse of petroleum coke, with of high sulphur conten t, produced as waste in a Mexican petroleum refinery, its properties for us e in water treatment was were assessed. Several classical activation method s were used and the physicochemical characteristics of the treated material were measured using normal ASTM standards. Use of scanning electron micros copy and microprobe analysis permitted most of the effects of the activatio n processes on the structure and properties of the coke. Adsorption capacit ies of mercury and silver and physicochemical characteristics determined fo r these activated carbons as well as scanning electron microscopy show that the H3PO4 is the best activating agent. It is shown that the process is hi ghly promising for the production of an activated carbon aimed at the remov al of heavy metals from wastewater.