Activated carbons in minimizing water pollution

Non-activated, zinc chloride-activated and steam-activated Maghara coals were prepared. The adsorption of nitrogen at -196C, carbon dioxide at 25C and water at 30C was measured on the prepared carbons. Steam-activated samples measure always the highest adsorption capacities due to their relatively wide pores. Adsorption of mono and dicarboxylic acids is also more prominent on steam-activated carbon. The uptake of the acid on this activated carbon is considerably high indicating that the utilization of steam-activated carbons in minimizing water pollution is promising. Both mono and dicarboxylic acids could be oriented parallel to the surface and their adsorption behavior follows only, a qualitatively, Traube rule