Effect of calcium on adsorption capacity of powdered activated carbon

We investigated the effect of calcium ion on the adsorption of humic acid (HA) (as a target pollutant) by powered activated carbon. The HA adsorption isotherms at different pH and kinetics of two different solutions including HA alone and HA doped Ca2+, were performed. It was showed that the adsorption capacity of powdered activated carbon (PAC) for HA was markedly enhanced when Ca2+ was doped into HA. Also, HA and Ca2+ taken as nitrate were tested on the uptake of each other respectively and it was showed that the adsorbed amounts of both of them were significantly promoted when HA and calcium co-existed. Furthermore, the adsorbed amount of HA slightly decreased with the increasing of Ca2+ concentration, whereas the amount of calcium increased with the increasing of HA concentration, but all above the amounts without addition. Finally, the change of pH before and after adsorption process is studied. In the two different solutions including HA alone and HA doped Ca2+, pH had a small rise, but the extent of pH of later solution was bigger.