Revalorizing a Pyrolytic Char Residue from Post-Consumer Plastics into Activated Carbon for the Adsorption of Lead in Water

This work focuses on the use of a char produced during the pyrolysis of a mixture of non-recyclable plastics as a precursor for the preparation of porous activated carbon with high developed adsorption uptake of lead in water. Physical and chemical activation was used to enhance the porosity, surface area, and surface chemistry of char. The final activated carbon materials were deeply characterized through N-2 adsorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, analysis of the metal content by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, and pH of point zero charge. The native char displayed a Pb adsorption uptake of 348 mg Pb center dot g(-1) and considerably high leaching of carbon, mainly organic, ca. 12%. After stabilization with HCl washing and activation with basic character activators, i.e., CO2, NaOH, and KOH, more stable adsorbents were obtained, with no organic leaching and a porous developed structure, the order of activation effectiveness being KOH (487 m(2)center dot g(-1)) > NaOH (247 m(2)center dot g(-1)) > CO2 (68 m(2)center dot g(-1)). The activation with KOH resulted in the most effective removal of Pb in water with a saturation adsorption uptake of 747 mg Pb center dot g(-1).FEDER/Junta de AndaluciaMinistry of Economy, Transformation, Industry, and Universities P20_00167 FEDER/Junta de Andalucia-Ministry of Economic Transformation, Industry, and Universities B-RNM-78-UGR2

Revalorizing a Pyrolytic Char Residue from Post-Consumer Plastics into Activated Carbon for the Adsorption of Lead in Water

This work focuses on the use of a char produced during the pyrolysis of a mixture of non-recyclable plastics as a precursor for the preparation of porous activated carbon with high developed adsorption uptake of lead in water. Physical and chemical activation was used to enhance the porosity, surface area, and surface chemistry of char. The final activated carbon materials were deeply characterized through N2 adsorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, analysis of the metal content by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, and pH of point zero charge. The native char displayed a Pb adsorption uptake of 348 mg Pb·g−1 and considerably high leaching of carbon, mainly organic, ca. 12%. After stabilization with HCl washing and activation with basic character activators, i.e., CO2, NaOH, and KOH, more stable adsorbents were obtained, with no organic leaching and a porous developed structure, the order of activation effectiveness being KOH (487 m2·g−1) > NaOH (247 m2·g−1) > CO2 (68 m2·g−1). The activation with KOH resulted in the most effective removal of Pb in water with a saturation adsorption uptake of 747 mg Pb·g−1