Consider the following statements :
Statement I: Activated carbon is a good and an attractive tool to remove pollutants from effluent stream and to remediate stream and to remediate contaminants from various industries.
Statement II: Activated carbon exhibits a large surface area and a strong potential for adsorbing heavy metals.
Statement III: Activated carbon can be easily synthesized from environmental wastes with high carbon content.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Explanation
Activated carbon is a highly porous material widely used in water and air purification due to its strong adsorption properties.
Statement I is correct. It is an effective and widely used tool for removing pollutants from industrial effluents and contaminated streams, making it important for environmental remediation.
Statement II is correct. The key reason behind its effectiveness is its very large surface area and porous structure, which provide numerous sites for adsorption of heavy metals, dyes, and other contaminants. This directly explains Statement I.
Statement III is correct. Activated carbon can be produced from carbon-rich waste materials like coconut shells, rice husk, and sawdust. This makes it economical and sustainable, which further explains why it is considered an attractive tool.
Thus, both functional efficiency (Statement II) and ease of production (Statement III) explain its widespread use mentioned in Statement I.