Simple fabrication of carbon quantum dots and activated carbon from waste wolfberry stems for detection and adsorption of copper ion

Abstract

Removal of heavy metal pollution is an endless topic, because heavy metals can cause irreversible damage to the human body and environment.

Characterization of activated carbon produced from the green algae Spirogyra used as a cost-effective adsorbent for enhanced removal of copper(ii): application in industrial wastewater treatment

“…Commercial activated carbon is available but it is expensive and not economically viable, 4 prompting a search for cheaper and more efficient alternatives. Recently, a wide variety of raw materials that are abundant in nature have been used to prepare porous materials that have been converted into low-cost activated carbon for copper removal, such as beech wood chips and garden green waste residues, 20 palm fiber, 21 soy waste, 22 peanut shells, 6,23 soybean and mustard husks, 10 walnut shells, 24 waste wood-based panels, 15 olive stone, 25 pigeon peas hulls, 26 apple tree branches, 5 lignites, 27 waste tea residue, 13 eggshells, 28 oak fruit shells, 29 sea mango shells, 30 wolfberry stems 31 and empty fruit bunches. 32 The adsorption capacity of these adsorbents is high and the research is still focused on looking for low-cost adsorbents that are abundant in nature to improve the efficiency.…”