Introduction.

La Esmeralda landfill leachate, Manizales, (Colombia), has a high mercury concentration, which is a highly toxic metal for both human health and ecosystems. Mercury adsorption in solution upon activated carbon is an efficient method for its removal, and the modification of activated carbon surface with sulfur improves the adsorption capacity of this metal in aqueous means.

Objective.

To evaluate the mercury removal present in landfill leachate using activated carbon impregnated in sulfur.

Materials and methods.

A basic physical chemical characterization to leachate and activated carbon impregnated with disulphide carbon (CA-CS2) was made. The influence of pH, contact time and doze of CA-CS2 upon mercury removal present in leachate was analyzed.

Results.

The leachate presented a mercury concentration 316,1510,42 μg/L and, to pH of 8,0, the CA-CS2 achieved an average mercury removal of 44,76l,39 %. The impregnation of activated carbon with CS2 regarding the CA increased the mercury removal present in leachate between 2l.29 and 38.66% in pH range evaluated. Data of adsorption isothermal were adjusted to Langmuir model and an adsorption capacity of mercury of 24.651.46 μg/g of CA-CS2 was obtained.

Conclusions.

The modification of activated carbon by means of sulfur impregnation showed an increase of the mercury adsorption capacity in landfill leachate.