Regeneration of granular activated carbon loaded with explosives

Granular activated carbon (GAC) loaded with trinitrotoluene (TNT) and nitrobenzene (NB) were subjected to different atmospheres, such as nitrogen, oxygen, air, steam and an air–steam mixture, at varying temperatures and for different time intervals for regeneration. The air–steam mixture proved to be the best regenerating media for the explosive-loaded GACs. The regeneration of the activated carbon was found to be above 85% for TNT and above 90% for NB loaded carbons.