Activated Carbons Derived from Areca Catechu for the Removal of Aflatoxin in Aqueous Media

Abstract

Agricultural and food industry by-products, commonly known as biowastes, have emerged as valuable resources for developing highly porous carbon materials, particularly in the production of high-performance activated carbon (AC). These AC materials have proven their versatility across numerous separation and purification applications. This study explores the potential of Areca catechu husk-derived AC for aflatoxin (AFs) removal from aqueous solutions. The synthesis process incorporated chemical activation using orthophosphoric acid followed by thermal treatment at 500°C for 2 h. The resulting material exhibited exceptional characteristics, including well-defined porous structures spanning multiple size ranges and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups. These features contributed to its impressive surface area (699.53 m²/g) and substantial pore volume (1.03 cm³/g). Fluorescence spectrometry was used to evaluate the performance of the AC by monitoring the changes in AFs B₁ concentration of a 60 ppb aqueous solution over a 5 min period, providing rapid analytical detection well-suited for the fast removal kinetics observed. The results showed high adsorption capacity as evidenced by rapid AFs removal, with 0.1 g of adsorbent completely adsorbing 3.0 µg of AFB₁ within 120 s, which provides a substantial time advantage over previously studies. At the same time, the AC can be easily stored and used while requiring no pH adjustments to the treatment solution. These findings suggest that Areca catechu husk-based AC represents a promising alternative adsorbent material, particularly for targeting organic contaminants in aqueous environments.