Abstract: In an activated carbon for adsorbing a noble metal from an aqueous solution containing the noble metal, the difference (absolute value) between a zeta-potential in a 10 mmol/L aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate and a zeta-potential in a 0.01 mmol/L aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate is adjusted to not more than 18 mV and the pore volume of pores with a pore radius of not more than 1 nm is adjusted to 150 to 500 mm3/g. The activated carbon of the present invention may have a carbohydrate solution decolorizing performance of not less than 30%. The aqueous solution containing the noble metal may be a plating wastewater. According to the present invention, a noble metal can efficiently be adsorbed (or recovered) from a solution containing the noble metal.

Abstract: In an activated carbon for adsorbing a noble metal from an aqueous solution containing the noble metal, the difference (absolute value) between a zeta-potential in a 10 mmol/L aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate and a zeta-potential in a 0.01 mmol/L aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate is adjusted to not more than 18 mV and the pore volume of pores with a pore radius of not more than 1 nm is adjusted to 150 to 500 mm3g. The activated carbon of the present invention may have a carbohydrate solution decolorizing performance of not less than 30%. The aqueous solution containing the noble metal may be a plating wastewater. According to the present invention, a noble metal can efficiently be adsorbed (or recovered) from a solution containing the noble metal.