Commercially available coal-based activated carbon was treated with different concentration of nitric acid. The resultant samples were used to adsorb lead from aqueous solution. N2 adsorption, Boehm titration, point of zero charge (pHPZC) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the samples. Acidic pH is favorable for Pb(Ⅱ) adsorption. The acidic groups increase significantly with the increment of the concentration of nitric acid during the treatment. The carboxylic groups of surfa...