article · Water Conservation Science and Engineering
Activated carbon (AC) is a promising material for removing heavy metals from contaminated water, a significant environmental and socio-economic issue. Its effectiveness stems from exceptional adsorption properties, including high surface area, significant pore volumes, and tunable surface chemistry. Research has focused on optimising AC's synthesis, activation, and modification, leading to modified versions that demonstrate strong adsorption kinetics and high removal efficiencies, typically between 75% and 96%. These efficiencies depend on factors like dosage, pH, and contaminant concentration. AC is also noted for being non-toxic, affordable, and sustainable. While its use is currently more common in industrial settings, future efforts aim to develop cost-effective, scalable synthesis methods, particularly from non-biodegradable materials, and to conduct more real-world efficacy studies to advance sustainable water purification.
Heavy metal contamination poses a serious threat to environmental health and human well-being. This review highlights activated carbon as a sustainable and effective solution for water purification. Advancing its application could lead to cleaner water sources, protecting ecosystems and supporting socio-economic development, particularly in regions facing industrial pollution challenges.
This research reviews activated carbon's potential for heavy metal removal in water treatment. It could enable improved water purification technologies for industrial wastewater, offering a non-toxic, affordable, and sustainable solution. While currently used in industrial settings, further development of cost-effective, scalable synthesis methods and real-world testing is needed to move this technology closer to broader application.
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Water contamination, particularly by heavy metals originating from industrial processes, presents a significant threat to environmental sustainability and socio-economic development. Activated carbon (AC) has garnered considerable attention as a treatment due to its exceptional adsorption properties, characterized by a high surface area (273–827 m2/g), significant total pore volumes (0.27–0.69 ml/g), and well-defined micropores (8.2–12.4 nm), alongside tunable surface chemistry. Research efforts have focused on enhancing the synthesis, activation, and modification of AC to optimize its effectiveness in heavy metal removal from water. Studies consistently demonstrate that modified AC exhibits promising adsorption kinetics, often fitting well with Langmuir and pseudo-second-order physical adsorption models. Moreover, the economic viability of modified AC is underscored by its non-toxic nature, affordability, and sustainability. Experimental investigations reveal that AC can achieve substantial heavy metal removal efficiencies, ranging from 75 to 96%, contingent upon factors such as dosage, solution pH, surface properties, and contaminant concentrations. Despite advancements, widespread adoption of AC-based water treatment technologies remains largely confined to industrial settings. Key research priorities include the development of cost-effective and scalable synthesis methods for AC, particularly utilizing non-biodegradable feedstocks. Additionally, there is a pressing need for comprehensive studies assessing the efficacy of AC in real-world wastewater treatment scenarios. This review critically examines the role of AC in water treatment technologies, highlighting research gaps and delineating future research directions to advance sustainable and efficient water purification strategies.
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DOI: 10.1007/s41101-024-00287-3
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