Chitosan-Carbon Aerogel for Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue Dye: Synthesis, Characterization, Adsorption Mechanism and Antimicrobial Therapies

Abstract

Chitosan-carbon aerogel was synthesized via a facile and eco-friendly method and characterized for its structural and morphological properties. The composite exhibits remarkable adsorption kinetics and a high potential for removing Methylene Blue (MB) dye, attributed to its enhanced surface area, porous structure, and active functional groups. The adsorption capacity of chitosan-carbon aerogel increased from 38 to 86.8 mg/g as the pH was raised from 2 to 7. The maximum MB adsorption capacity increased from 22 to 632 mg/g as the initial MB concentration increased from 25 to 2000 mg/L. The saturation adsorption capacity of the chitosan-carbon aerogel was 668 mg/g. After five reuse cycles, the removal efficiency dropped from 89 % to 73.1 %. Antibacterial tests showed that the width of the inhibition zone for S. enterica was 16.2 ± 0.38 mm, indicating similar antibacterial activity for both chitosan and chitosan-carbon aerogels. These findings underscore the potential of chitosan-carbon aerogel as a sustainable and cost-effective solution for dye removal in wastewater treatment.