Influence of activated carbon oxidation treatments on the selective removalof copper and lead

Air, acid, and electrochemical oxidation treatments have been employed to carefully control the amount and distribution of acidic surface groups in a series of activated carbons prepared from apricot stones. The surface reactivity and functional group distribution of oxidized active carbons have been assessed using numerous analytical and surface measurement techniques including nitrogen sorption, elemental analysis, potentiometric titrations, zeta potential measurements, and Boehm's titrations. Preliminary electrochemical oxidation results suggest that this treatment provides better control of the resultant surface acidity of the prepared carbons. Lead and copper sorption studies indicate that it is possible to alter the selectivity of the oxidized active carbons towards heavy metals by changing the quantity and/or relative proportion of the individual oxygenated surface functional groups.