Brilliant blue FCF dye adsorption using magnetic activated carbon from Sapelli wood sawdust

Sapelli wood sawdust-derived magnetic activated carbon (SWSMAC) was produced by single-step pyrolysis using KOH and NiCl₂ as activating and magnetization agents. SWSMAC was characterized by several techniques (SEM/EDS, N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, FTIR, XRD, VSM, and pH_PZC) and applied in the brilliant blue FCF dye adsorption from an aqueous medium. The obtained SWSMAC was a mesoporous material and showed good textural properties. Metallic nanostructured Ni particles were observed. Also, SWSMAC exhibited ferromagnetic properties. In the adsorption experiments, adequate conditions were an adsorbent dosage of 0.75 g L^-1 and a solution pH of 4. The adsorption was fast, and the pseudo-second-order demonstrated greater suitability to the kinetic data. The Sips model fitted the equilibrium data well, and the maximum adsorption capacity predicted by this model was 105.88 mg g^-1 (at 55 °C). The thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption was spontaneous, favorable, and endothermic. Besides, the mechanistic elucidation suggested that electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and n-π interactions were involved in the brilliant blue FCF dye adsorption onto SWSMAC. In summary, an advanced adsorbent material was developed from waste by single-step pyrolysis, and this material effectively adsorbs brilliant blue FCF dye.