Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) produced using municipal solid waste was pyrolyzed to produce RDF char. For the first time, the RDF char was used to remove aqueous copper, a representative heavy metal water pollutant. Activation of the RDF char using steam and KOH treatments was performed to change the specific surface area, pore volume, and the metal cation quantity of the char. N2 sorption, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the char. The optimum pH for copper removal was shown to be 5.5, and the steam-treated char displayed the best copper removal capability. Ion exchange between copper ions and alkali/alkaline metal cations was the most important mechanism of copper removal by RDF char, followed by adsorption on functional groups existing on the char surface. The copper adsorption behavior was represented well by a pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum copper removal capacity was determined to be 38.17 mg/g, which is larger than those of other low-cost char adsorbents reported previously.

• Hyung Won Lee(School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea)
• Rae-su Park(Department of Bioenvironmental & Chemical Engineering, Chosun College of Science & Technology, Gwangju 61453, Korea)
• Sung Hoon Park(Department of Environmental Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea)
• Sang-Chul Jung(Department of Environmental Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea)
• Jong-Ki Jeon(Department of Chemical Engineering, Kongju National University, Cheonan 31080, Korea)
• Sang Chai Kim(Department of Environmental Education, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Korea)
• Jin Do Chung(Department of Environmental Engineering, Hoseo University, Asan 31499, Korea)
• Won Geun Choi(Department of Climate Change Fusion Technology, Graduate School, Hoseo University, Asan 31499, Korea)
• Young-Kwon Park(School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea) Corresponding Author