Valorization of Agro-Waste for Wastewater Treatment: Adsorption of RY3 Dye Using Nut Shell Activated Carbon

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 237 - 250, 15.09.2025

Şeyda Taşar , Elif Kardaş , Fatih Kaya , Melek Yılgın , Neslihan Duranay

https://doi.org/10.58692/jotcsb.1692136

Abstract

In this study, the potential of using activated carbon (NSAC) obtained from nut shell as an adsorbent as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly material for removing Reactive Yellow 3 (RY3) dye from synthetic aqueous solutions by adsorption was evaluated. In producing nut shell-based activated carbon, a chemical activation method was used and NaOH was selected as the chemical agent. After chemical pretreatment, it was subjected to a carbonization process at 600 °C. The obtained activated carbon was analyzed using FTIR, SEM, and pHzpc techniques. Adsorption experiments were carried out under varying adsorption conditions. The effect of adsorption parameters was evaluated. The parameters and their ranges whose effects were evaluated in the study were; contact time (0-180 min), pH (4-11), temperature (298-328 K), dye concentration (25-100 mg/L), and adsorbent dose (10-45 mg/L). The best removal efficiency, 90.83%, and adsorption capacity of 272.5 mg/g were obtained at 328 K, pH 7.0, dye concentration of 75 mg/L, and adsorbent dose of 25 mg/L. The adsorption kinetics were found to be in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order model expressed as chemisorption. Langmuir isotherm analysis confirmed monolayer adsorption. These findings suggest that NSAC produced from agricultural wastes can be a sustainable alternative adsorbent in wastewater treatment applications.

Keywords

Nutshell , activated carbon , adsorption , Reactive Yellow 3 , Characterization

References

• Abdel Ghafar, H. H., Radwan, E. K., & El-Wakeel, S. T. (2020). Removal of hazardous contaminants from water by natural and zwitterionic surfactant-modified clay. ACS Omega, 5(12), 6834–6845. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c00166
• Adebisi, G. A., Chowdhury, Z. Z., & Alaba, P. A. (2017). Equilibrium, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies of lead ion and zinc ion adsorption from aqueous solution onto activated carbon prepared from palm oil mill effluent. Journal of Cleaner Production, 148, 958–968. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.040
• Adel, M., Ahmed, M. A., Elabiad, M. A., & Mohamed, A. A. (2022). Removal of heavy metals and dyes from wastewater using graphene oxide-based nanomaterials: A critical review. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 18, 100719.
• Afolabi, I. C., Popoola, S. I., & Bello, O. S. (2020). Machine learning approach for prediction of paracetamol adsorption efficiency on chemically modified orange peel. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 243, 118769.
• Al-Degs, Y., Khraisheh, M. A., Allen, M., Ahmad, S. J., & Ahmad, M. N. (2000). Effect of carbon surface chemistry on the removal of reactive dyes from textile effluent. Water Research, 34(3), 927–935. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00213-6
• Al-Degs, Y. S., El-Barghouthi, M. I., El-Sheikh, A. H., & Walker, G. M. (2008). Effect of solution pH, ionic strength, and temperature on adsorption behavior of reactive dyes on activated carbon. Dyes and Pigments, 77(1), 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2007.03.001
• Aragaw, T. A., & Bogale, F. M. (2021). Biomass-based adsorbents for removal of dyes from wastewater: A review. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 9, 558. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.00558
• Çakmak, M., Taşar, Ş., Selen, V., Özer, D., & Özer, A. (2017). Removal of astrazon golden yellow 7GL from colored wastewater using chemically modified clay. Journal of Central South University, 24, 743–753. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-017-3481-2
• Ceylan, Z., Taşar, Ş., Kaya, F., & Özer, A. (2020). Farklı biyokütle atıklarının alkali ön işlem etkinliklerinin incelenmesi. Düzce Üniversitesi Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi, 8(4), 2296–2312.
• Chiou, M. S., Kuo, W. S., & Li, H. Y. (2003). Removal of reactive dye from wastewater by adsorption using ECH cross-linked chitosan beads as a medium. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 38(11), 2621–2631. https://doi.org/10.1081/ESE-120024499
• Çelik, A. (2022). Tarımsal esaslı biyokütle karışımı ve bundan hazırlanan aktif karbonla sulu çözeltilerden Cr(IV) giderimi, Yüksek lisans tezi, Fırat Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü.
• Demirtaş, H., Taşar, Ş., Kaya, F., & Özer, A. (2022). Production and characterization of chitosan-based polymer particles with the precipitation collection method. Fırat University Journal of Experimental and Computational Engineering, 1(2), 68–79.
• Demirtaş, H., Taşar, Ş., Kaya, F., & Özer, A. (2022b). Sorption of BB41 dye molecules using chitosan-based particles from aqueous solutions: A kinetic and thermodynamic evaluation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 10(4), 108062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2022.108062
• Demirtaş, H., Taşar, Ş., Kaya, F., & Özer, A. (2024). Removal of BB41 dye molecules onto cross-linked chitosan microspheres: Synthesis, characterization, and sorption/desorption. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 14(11), 11927–11939. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02718-3
• Dubinin, M. M. (1947). The equation of the characteristic curve of activated charcoal. In Dokl. Akad. Nauk. SSSR. (Vol. 55, pp. 327–329).
• Freundlich, H. M. F. (1906). Über die adsorption in lösungen. Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, 57A, 385–470. https://doi.org/10.1515/zpch-1907-5723
• Hidayu, A. R., & Muda, N. (2016). Preparation and characterization of impregnated activated carbon from palm kernel shell and coconut shell for CO₂ capture. Procedia Engineering, 148, 106–113.
• Ho, Y. S., & McKay, G. (1999). Pseudo-second order model for sorption processes. Process Biochemistry, 34(5), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0032-9592(98)00112-5
• Indhu, S., & Muthukumaran, K. (2018). Removal and recovery of reactive yellow 84 dye from wastewater and regeneration of functionalised Borassus flabellifer activated carbon. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 6(2), 3111–3121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2018.04.027
• İpek, Ö., Taşar, Ş., & Duranay, N. (2025). Removal of basic yellow dye molecules with chitosan-based magnetic field-sensitive particles from the aqueous solution. Polymer, 316, 127895.
• Lagergren, S. (1898). Zur theorie der sogenannten adsorption geloster stoffe. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar, 24, 1–39. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/10004035329/
• Lam, K. F., Yeung, K. L., & McKay, G. (2006). A rational approach in the design of mesoporous adsorbents. Langmuir, 22(23), 9632–9641. https://doi.org/10.1021/la0608974
• Langmuir, I. (1916). The constitution and fundamental properties of solids and liquids. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 38(11), 2221–2295. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja02268a002
• Laysandra, L., Ondang, I. J., Ju, Y. H., Ariandini, B. H., Mariska, A., Soetaredjo, F. E., ... & Ismadji, S. (2019). Highly adsorptive chitosan/saponin-bentonite composite film for removal of methyl orange and Cr(VI). Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 26(5), 5020–5037. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-4035-2
• Revellame, E. D., Fortela, D. L., Sharp, W., Hernandez, R., & Zappi, M. E. (2020). Adsorption kinetic modeling using pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order rate laws: A review. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 1, 100032.
• Rouquerol, J., & Sing, K. S. W. (1999). Adsorption by powders and porous solids: Principles, methodology and applications. Academic Press.
• Taşar, Ş., & Orhan, R. (2020). Temperature-responsive poly(acrylamide-co-N-isopropyl acrylamide) hydrogel: Synthesis, characterization, and sorption application. Polymer, 44(1), 49–60.
• Temkin, M. I. (1940). Kinetics of ammonia synthesis on promoted iron catalysts. Acta physiochim. URSS, 12, 327–356.
• Toutounchi, S., Shariati, S., & Mahanpoor, K. (2019). Synthesis of nano-sized magnetite mesoporous carbon for removal of reactive yellow dye from aqueous solutions. Applied Organometallic Chemistry, 33(9), e5046. https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.5046
• Tunç, M. S., Yıldız, B., & Taşar, Ş. (2022). Removal of paracetamol from aqueous solution by wood sawdust-derived activated carbon: Process optimization using response surface methodology. Chemical Engineering Communications, 209(8), 1130–1150.
• Wang, J., & Guo, X. (2020). Adsorption kinetic models: Physical meanings, applications, and solving methods. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 390, 122156
• Wang, M., Zheng, Y., Li, Q., Qi, Y., Liao, X., & Fu, Q. (2021). The efficiency adsorption of ammonia nitrogen, phosphate and basic blue 3 by fulvic acid decorated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanocomposites. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 30(4). https://doi.org/10.15244/pjes.2021.30.4.58
• Yang, R. T. (2003). Adsorbents: Fundamentals and applications. John Wiley & Sons.
• Ye, C., Yan, B., Ji, X., Liao, B., Gong, R., Pei, X., & Liu, G. (2019). Adsorption of fluoride from aqueous solution by fly ash cenospheres modified with paper mill lime mud: Experimental and modeling. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 180, 366–373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.04.086
• Younes, H., El-Etriby, H. K., & Mahanna, H. (2021). High removal efficiency of reactive yellow 160 dye from textile wastewater using natural and modified glauconite. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03593-5
• Zhu, S., Chen, Y., Khan, M. A., Xu, H., Wang, F., & Xia, M. (2022b). In-depth study of heavy metal removal by an etidronic acid-functionalized layered double hydroxide. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 14(6), 7450–7463. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.1c22065
• Zhu, S., Khan, M. A., Kameda, T., Xu, H., Wang, F., Xia, M., & Yoshioka, T. (2022). New insights into the capture performance and mechanism of hazardous metals Cr³⁺ and Cd²⁺ onto an effective layered double hydroxide based material. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 426, 128062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.128062
• Zhu, S., Khan, M. A., Wang, F., Bano, Z., & Xia, M. (2021). Exploration of adsorption mechanism of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid onto kaolinite and montmorillonite via batch experiment and theoretical studies. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 403, 123810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123810