In recent decades, residual byproducts from the pharmaceutical, pesticide, cosmetics and textile industries as well as from household sewage have become increasingly problematic for the environment. These chemicals, broadly denominated “micropollutions”, are present in both industrial and domestic sewage and, if not specifically targeted during wastewater treatment.
When activated carbon is brought into contact with micropollutants, non-polar substances pass through the porous surface of the activated carbon into the macro- and micropore structure, where they adsorb to the carbon. Activated carbon has an exceedingly large surface area and is used in powder form (PAC) or as granules (GAC).
By using a mixture of activated carbon of different origins the elimination efficiency can be maximized due to differences in the macro- and micropore structures, since not all micropollutants have the same nature.
