Spherical activated carbon having low dusting property and high physical strength and process for producing the same

The spherical particles of activated carbon having a low susceptibility to dusting and prepared by the process comprising the steps of:

• heating while continuously stirring a mixture of a pitch having a softening point of 50.degree. to 350.degree. C., a carbon content of 80 to 97% by weight, an atomic ratio of hydrogen to carbon of 0.3 to 2.0, and a content of nitrobenzene-insoluble matter of below 60% by weight, at least one aromatic compound miscible with said pitch and 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the amount of said pitch of at least one polymer or one copolymer having the chain hydrocarbon moiety as a major component thereof, thereby liquefying homogeneously said mixture;
• dispersing said liquefied mixture into an aqueous solution containing a suspending agent, thereby obtaining microspheres of said mixture dispersed in said solution;
• and
• subjecting the thus-obtained microspheres to a series of treatments of removal of said aromatic compound, infusibilization, carbonization and activation.