ABSTRACT
Environmental contamination caused by primary pollutants endangers human health, therefore, contemporaneous research has been conducted to annihilate its detrimental effects. Polycyclic aromatic compounds along with benzene, toluene, xylene, aniline, and phenol have attracted much attention, since they constitute some of the most common and serious threats to the environment. Activated carbon (AC) is the most implicit form of amorphous carbon for the removal of different organic/inorganic compounds dissolved in the aqueous/gaseous environment. The process of activation is comprised of physical and chemical activation. The production of AC through the physical process encompasses two steps: carbonization and activation. Among the physical, surface, and textural properties of AC, specific surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution have their own specific role in determining the adsorption properties of AC. The fundamental issue for the aqueous solution adsorption is the understanding of adsorption mechanism of AC.
