Batch experiments were conducted to determine the effects of metal loading and fixing methods on the capacity of granular activated carbon (GAC) for removing cyanide from KCN (pH 11), K3Fe(CN)(6) solutions and several SCP effluent samples. KI fixed carbon (Cu/KI-GAC) was the most effective among the GAC samples tested. Adsorption was the primary mechanism of cyanide removal; catalytic oxidation of the adsorbed cyanide on carbon surface contributed a minor amount of the observed removal. Four small adsorbers containing the base GAC and 0-100% of Cu/KI-GAC were employed for treating a Fenton oxidized/precipitated SCP effluent sample. After the start-up period (< 3-week) to establish the effective biological activated carbon (BAC) function in the adsorbers, the effluents became stable and met the discharge limits (CODCr < 50 mg/L and TCN < 0.5 mg/L); with > 30% Cu/KI-GAC in the adsorber, the effluent would meet the discharge limits during the start-up phase. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.