Active carbons and their functional applications in water purification – an overview

Abstract

The activated carbons (ACs) represent the cost-effective approach to ecosystem remediation. They are one of the most used and popular adsorbents for most pollutants, due to its high absorption capacity and high surface area. The potential application of AC is determined by the source of material, the technology, and the production conditions. An advantage of ACs is that they could be obtained from any carbon-containing feedstock, so based on their nature and characteristics, various adsorbents are used for the purpose of water treatment. They can be used for different applications: removal of volatile organics, toxic agents, petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, heavy metals, pesticides etc.