Sálua Helito Abumanssur, Schaline Winck Alberti, Edson Antônio da Silva, Plínio Ribeiro Fajardo Campos
The objective of this research was to evaluate the applicability and efficiency of commercial activated carbon in the removal of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), considered an emerging contaminant of environmental concern, particularly in aqueous systems. The experimental study was conducted to understand the influence of operational parameters such as pH and initial contaminant concentration on the adsorption capacity of the material. To complement the analyses, the activated carbon was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which enabled the identification of the main functional groups and the observation of the carbon morphology. The results demonstrated that pH 8.0 was the most favorable condition for the process, resulting in the highest adsorption capacity (q = 84.56 mg g⁻¹). The adsorption kinetics were better described by the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting the predominance of chemical mechanisms in the interaction between adsorbate and adsorbent. The equilibrium was defined by the Langmuir isotherm, indicating the formation of a homogeneous monolayer on the surface of the activated carbon. Finally, the commercial activated carbon exhibited high efficiency in the removal of 2,4-D, demonstrating its potential for application in water treatment systems and effluents contaminated with organic pollutants.