Effectiveness Of Malachite Green Dye Adsorption Using Activated Carbon Adsorbent From Edamame Shell Waste Activated With NaOH

This study investigates the effectiveness of activated carbon derived from edamame (Glycine max L.) pod waste in removing the synthetic dye Malachite Green from aqueous solutions. The research was conducted as a scientific project at the senior high school level with an environmental chemistry approach. Edamame pod waste, which is rich in lignocellulosic components such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, was carbonized and chemically activated using 0.5 M NaOH to enhance its adsorption capacity. The prepared adsorbent was then applied to Malachite Green solutions with an initial concentration of 300 ppm. The adsorption process was evaluated under various contact times ranging from 10 to 70 minutes. The results show that the adsorption efficiency increased with contact time and reached an optimum removal efficiency of 34.33% at 60 minutes. Although the adsorption performance was lower compared to previous studies employing acid-activated carbon materials, the findings demonstrate the potential of agricultural waste valorization as a low-cost and environmentally friendly adsorbent. This study highlights both the opportunities and limitations of base-activated carbon derived from biomass waste. The research also emphasizes the importance of optimizing activation methods and operational parameters to improve adsorption performance. Further studies involving surface characterization and pH optimization are recommended to enhance the material’s effectiveness.