Agro-Industrial Waste Upcycling into Activated Carbons: A Sustainable Approach for Dye Removal and Wastewater Treatment

Beatriz Alvez-Tovar (), Paulo Sergio Scalize, Giovanny Angiolillo-Rodríguez, Antonio Albuquerque (), Malorie Ndemengane Ebang and Tatianne Ferreira de Oliveira
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Beatriz Alvez-Tovar: Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Central University of Venezuela-UCV, University City of Caracas, Capital District, Caracas 47604, Venezuela
Paulo Sergio Scalize: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Colemar-Natal Campus, Goiânia 74690-900, Goiás, Brazil
Giovanny Angiolillo-Rodríguez: Postgraduate Program in Agroecology, State University of Maranhão-UEMA, Paulo VI University City, São Luís 65800-000, Maranhão, Brazil
Antonio Albuquerque: GeoBioTec, Civil Engineering and Architecture Department, University of Beira Interior, Fonte Calçada do Lameiro, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Malorie Ndemengane Ebang: Stricto Sensu Graduate Program in Environmental and Sanitary Engineering (PPGEAS), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Colemar-Natal Campus, Goiânia 74690-900, Goiás, Brazil
Tatianne Ferreira de Oliveira: Department of Food Engineering, School of Agronomy, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Samambaia Campus, Goiânia 74690-900, Goiás, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-25

Abstract: The increasing generation of agro-industrial waste has intensified soil and water contamination, as well as the eutrophication of water bodies, impacting biodiversity and human health. This highlights the need for responsible management to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 6, 12, 13, 14, and 15, which promote health, access to clean water, responsible consumption, climate action, and the protection of life on land and below water. This study aimed to produce activated carbon from cocoa, baru, and monguba residues for the removal of contaminants dyes (methylene blue, bromocresol green, and methyl red) presented in wastewater. The three materials were carbonized at 500 °C for one hour under a nitrogen atmosphere and activated with H 3 PO 4 . The samples were characterized using TGA, SEM, XRD, FT-IR, pH PZC , and ASAP, in addition to conducting kinetic and thermodynamic parameter assays for the dyes. Monguba carbon exhibited the highest pore volume (1.57 cm 3 ·g −1 ), surface area (1604 m 2 ·g −1 ), and adsorption capacity for methylene blue and methyl red (50 mg·g −1 ). The data were analyzed using pseudo-first and pseudo-second order kinetic models. It was concluded that monguba carbon shows potential for the sustainable removal of organic dyes and molecules with similar characteristics in contaminated water or wastewater.

Keywords: Theobroma cacao L.; Dipterix alata Vog.; Pachira aquatica Aubl.; solution for dye removal; sustainable water treatment; agro-industrial waste management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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