Magnetic Powdered Activated Carbon: A Promising Adsorbent for Water Treatment?

Key Takeaways While researchers have been proposing magnetic powdered activated carbon (MPAC) for more than a decade, these materials are not yet commercially available in North America (though they are in Japan). MPAC combines two important characteristics: efficient separation from water using a magnetic field and good adsorption properties for organic micropollutants. The slightly higher costs of MPAC can be offset by its separability and reusability. Easy recirculation of PAC would allow working at high enough PAC age to colonize it with heterotrophic and nitrifying bacteria. Magnetic separation of MPAC requires the use of high-gradient magnetic separators, which might limit the adsorbent's application to low-flow systems.