Activated carbon from noodles food waste via microwave-assisted KOH for optimized brilliant green dye removal

• Published in: BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
• Main Authors: Amjah, Azreenie Nazlyeen; Abdulhameed, Ahmed Saud; Jawad, Ali H.; Alothman, Zeid A.; Wilson, Lee D.
• Format: Article; Early Access
• Language: English
• Published: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG 2023
• Subjects: Energy & Fuels; Engineering
• Online Access: https://www-webofscience-com.uitm.idm.oclc.org/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001163766100001
• ISSN: 2190-6815; 2190-6823
• DOI: 10.1007/s13399-023-04764-y

Food wastes, namely, noodles (NOD), were used in the study as a recyclable precursor for activated carbon (NODAC) synthesis by microwave-induced KOH activation. NODAC's capacity to adsorb the cationic dye (brilliant green; BG) from the aqueous environment was evaluated. The desirability character of response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate several key adsorption variables: (A) NODAC dosage (0.02-0.1 g), (B) pH (4-10), and (C) duration (10-200 min). The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms revealed good agreement with the experimental results. The kinetics of dye adsorption is well-described by the pseudo-second-order model. NODAC's uptake capacity for BG was outstanding (318.5 mg/g). BG adsorption by NODAC involves various processes including electrostatic forces, pi-pi stacking, and H-bonding. This study demonstrates the utility of NOD as an easily accessible feedstock for the preparation of NODAC as an adsorbent for the efficient removal of dye-based pollutants from contaminated water.