Synthesis and Application of Hydrous Cerium Oxide Modified Activated Carbon for Arsenic and Lead Removal

Abstract

This study aimed to fabricate a novel carbon based adsorbent, hydrous cerium oxide modified activated carbon (HCO-AC), to remove two kinds of commonly existed heavy metal, arsenic and lead from aqueous system. A three-step synthesis approach was developed to fabricate the adsorbent which was easy-operated and cost effective. The fabricated HCO-AC had a notable adsorption performance for arsenic and lead removal. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm of HCO-AC were well described by Pseudo-second order model and two-site Langmuir isotherm model. HCO-AC can be utilized as a kind of large adsorption capacity adsorbent in a certain pH range. The presence of several commonly coexisting ions and natural organic matters (NOM) did not have significant influence on the adsorption capacity for arsenic and lead. According to the remarkable adsorption performance, HCO-AC provided a promising and multifunctional treatment option for efficient removal of arsenic and lead from heavy metal contaminated water.