Enhanced Removal of Organic Compounds Assisted by Activated Carbon/Copper (II) Complex Composite

Industrial wastewater treatment is essential to mitigate pollution and address global water scarcity. In this study, an activated carbon/copper (II) complex (AC/CuL) composite was obtained for enhanced removal of organic compounds by coupling adsorption and oxidation. Tests were performed using Drimaren Red X-6BN (DRX-6BN) and oily effluent at pH~6.0. Tests to obtain the adsorption kinetics of DRX-6BN (20 mg/L) were performed at 25 °C and using an amount of 0.42 g/200 mL of solution. The data were well fitted by several models, suggesting a complex adsorption process; however, the best fit was achieved by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model (R2 = 0.9996). The adsorption data best fit the Freundlich model. The addition of hydrogen peroxide to the system reduced the need for adsorbent, removing approximately 100% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the emulsion in 120 min using only 0.04 g of AC/CuL. The material exhibited high storage stability and maintained its effectiveness in removing oil and grease (O&G) content and COD for at least 12 months. These results indicate that AC/CuL is promising for the removal of complex organic compounds, such as that from the textile and petroleum industries. These findings offer a sustainable, economical, and safe approach for wastewater treatment.