Preparation of microporous activated carbon and its modification for arsenic removal from water

Abstract

Arsenic removal from water was investigated using activated carbon. The chemical activated carbon (CAC) prepared using H3PO4 from jute stick largely featured micropore structure with surface functional groups, while meso- and macropore structures were mainly developed in physical activated carbon (PAC). The CAC and PAC reduced arsenic concentration to 45 and 55μgL−1, respectively, from 100μgL−1 while iron-loaded CAC reduced to 3μgL−1, which is lower than the upper permissible limit (10μgL−1). The micropore structure of CAC along with complexation affinity of iron species towards arsenic species attributed to enhanced separation of arsenic.