Synthesis and Characterization of Zn-loaded Ziziphus mauritiana Seeds Activated Carbon Composites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Toxic Dyes in Aqueous Solutions

In this study, we aimed to synthesize a zinc-loaded Ziziphus mauritiana seeds activated carbon (Zn/ZMSAC) composite using a hydrothermal technique for the effective removal of Rhodamine B and orange II dye from wastewater. The synthesized Zn/ZMSAC composite was characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. This study tackles the issue of organic dye pollution in wastewater by developing a novel composite material with combined photocatalytic and adsorption properties. The Zn/ZMSAC composite proves to be a highly effective and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. XRD results confirmed the amorphous nature of the Zn/ZMSAC structures. The study demonstrated that the Zn/ZMSAC composite could efficiently remove Rhodamine B and Orange II dyes from aqueous solutions. These findings indicate that the Zn/ZMSAC composite leverages a synergistic interaction between ZnO (acting as photocatalysts) and ZMSAC (functioning as an adsorbent). We propose a potential mechanism for the dye removal process and analyze the kinetics using a pseudo-first-order model.