Activated carbon from municipal waste Original Research Article

A refuse derived fuel (RDF) was carbonized by partial combustion at 623 K and the carbonized RDF (cRDF) was steam-activated at 1123 K. The cRDF was also treated by 3.3 or 5.2 N nitric acid at a boiling temperature for 3 h prior to the steam-activation. Porous properties of the activated carbons prepared were determined by the nitrogen adsorption method. The porous structure of the carbon prepared without the pretreatment of nitric acid was not so developed as a commercial carbon for dioxin adsorption. On the other hand, the carbons prepared via the nitric acid treatment had BET surface areas of 515 and 828 m2/g and more mesopore volumes than the commercial carbon. During the acid treatment, the ash dissolution from cRDFs to nitric acid was observed and resulted in the formation of activation sites for developing mesopores. Hence, the carbons prepared could be used to remove dioxins from the incinerators.