Synthesis and characterization of activated carbon from Scenedesmus sp. culture in aquaculture wastewater

Martínez L.M.; Gonzales J.P.; Mamani C.C.; Umpire P.P.; Huaylla K.C.; Andia J.M. · Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (2026) · DOI: 10.1007/s13399-026-07271-y

Resumen

The main objective of this study was to synthesize activated carbon derived from Scenedesmus sp. microalgal biomass cultivated in agro-industrial wastewater. The microalgae were initially cultivated in BG11 medium and progressively scaled up from 250 mL to 10 L, and subsequently cultivated in a 40 L photobioreactor. During this stage, the remediation capacity was evaluated, achieving removal efficiencies of 95.1% for ammoniacal nitrogen, 80.2% for orthophosphate phosphorus, and 81.9% for chemical oxygen demand (COD). The optimal synthesis of the activated carbon was achieved through chemical activation using 60% H₃PO₄ at a 1:3 precursor-to-activating agent ratio, followed by physical activation via carbonization under an inert nitrogen atmosphere at 300 °C, based on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results. The resulting carbon exhibited a porous structure, with an iodine value of 651 mg g⁻1. SEM analysis revealed a mesoporous structure, while BET analysis indicated a specific surface area of 3.135 m2 g⁻1 and a pore size distribution within the mesoporous range (2–50 nm). FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of oxygenated functional groups (C–O), such as ethers, phenols, and carboxylic acids, which may contribute to adsorption-related interactions for potential environmental applications. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026.

Instituciones: Universidad Católica San Pablo