Advancing Environmental Sustainability: Optimizing the Application of Activated Carbon from Sugarcane Trash and Cotton Seed Waste for Methylene Blue Adsorption

The adsorption of Methylene blue onto activated carbons produced from a blend of Sugarcane and Cotton Seed Waste (biomass waste) was investigated in this study. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) and Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) served as activating agents in producing the activated carbons. Firstly, the characterization of biomass was performed using proximate and elemental analysis subsequently; the characterization of the activated carbons was achieved using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (for surface morphology) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) (for surface area determination). Experimental results showed that an increase in temperature and the ratio decreased the yield of activated carbon. This indicated that temperature and ratio had an inverse relationship with the yield of activated carbon, as observed from the results. Also, an optimal yield of 45% at 400°C and IR2, denoting the impregnation ratio for KOH-activated carbon was achieved. By increasing the temperature from 400-500°C, the BET surface area increased, and by increasing the temperature above 500°C, the surface area decreased due to intense heat effects at 600°C, causing the evolution of volatile matter and surface area decreased at 600°C as a result of shrinkage and closure of produced pores at higher temperature. It was observed from the BET analysis and the optimal conditions that the AC surface area of 780.4 m2/g at 500°C for KOH-activated carbon was achieved. FTIR spectra indicated absorption peaks, which suggested the presence of C-C, C-H, and C-O bonds, as well as an O-H bond. The adsorption studies were conducted under different adsorption conditions using various adsorption parameters such as effect of Adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, initial dye concentration which indicated that KOH Activated carbon from cotton seed waste showed the best MB Adsorption and optimal condition for adsorption were at basic medium [PH12], initial dye concentration 10mg/l, contact time 140min and adsorbent dosage 0.1g.The existing study concluded that cottonseed waste may be employed as a low-cost adsorbent for the elimination of primary dye.