Fly Ash-Activated Carbon Powder Composites for Dyes and Heavy Metals Removal

Abstract

Advanced wastewater treatment requires highly efficient substrates, able to insure in a single step process the water discharge requirements. The paper the results obtained in the simultaneous removal of heavy metals and dyes, using a composite powder of fly ash and activated carbon. The results show that adding a small amount of activated carbon in a powder mixture with modified fly ash is highly effective in removing cadmium from wastewaters also containing dyes (methylen blue or methyl orange). Chemisorption is the likely mechanism governing this process.