As part of the work, experiments were carried out on a laboratory scale to assess the effectiveness of the use of composite capsules based on halloysite and sodium alginate for the adsorption of copper from rainwater. The halloysite was subjected to acid activation prior to the encapsulation process. The characteristics of the capsules obtained were determined by means of SEM surface imaging, nitrogen adsorption by the BET method and pH PZC measurement by the suspension method. Adsorption was studied using various operational parameters such as adsorbent dose, contact time, pH and concentration of copper ions in the rainwater. A high percentage of copper ions removal was demonstrated, i.e. 72% for halloysite (H), and 83% for activated halloysite (HA) for a dose of 2.0 g/L. Adsorption of Cu (II) was consistent with pseudo-second order kinetics. The adsorbents showed a high adsorption capacity at the level of 11.03 mg/g, determined by the Langmuir isotherm model. This model fit well with the experimental data.

The aim of the study was to use regenerated activated carbon to adsorb phenol from a river. Coconut shell activated carbon was derived from used tap water filter cartridges. The activated carbon was carbonised and then activated with KOH at 200°C, under a nitrogen atmosphere. The resulting adsorbent was characterised on the basis of nitrogen adsorption by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and point of zero charge (pH PZC). The study of periodic adsorption included kinetic and equilibrium modelling, determined the effect of solution pH on efficiency and the possibility of regeneration and reuse of the adsorbent. The efficiency of phenol removal from model water was evaluated, followed by the possibility of their adsorption from a polluted river in Silesia Province. Phenol adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The adsorbents showed high adsorption abilities, as determined by the Langmuir isotherm model. The model fits the experimental data well. The concentration of phenol in the river was in the range of 0.45–0.77 mg∙dm– ³, which means that its value was at least five times higher than the standard values. The use of regenerated activated carbon from waste filter cartridges removed phenol from the river by 78% using optimal test parameters.