Comparison of Coal Ash and Activated Carbon for Removal of Humic Acid from Aqueous Solution

Abstract

This paper presents the adsorption behaviors of humic acid (HA) on coal ashes and powdered activated carbons (PACs). A bituminous coal, with or without calcium-loading, was used as a feedstock for coal ash preparation. The working solution of HA with a concentration of 20 mg/L was used in all adsorption tests. The results showed that calcium-enriched coal ash (CECA) gave rise to the removal rate of HA as high as 84.05%, much higher than those of raw coal ash (RCA) and PACs. The impacts of solution pH and adsorbent dosage on HA adsorption capacity were also investigated. It was found that lower pH facilitated to the removal of HA from aqueous solution by means of CECA, and the optimal CECA dosage was about 1.0g/L at pH 7.00. The data obtained in this study suggested that calcium-enriched coal ash could be useful and cost-effective in the treatment of wastewaters containing HA-like organic macro-molecules.