Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal

The valorization of wet blue leather waste represents an important strategy for both environmental management and the development of sustainable adsorbent materials. In this study, activated carbons were produced from wet blue leather residue and characterized in terms of surface area and chromium content. Pyrolysis at 700 °C yielded activated carbons with surface areas exceeding 500 m2·g−1, directly associated with the chromium content of the material. The results indicate that chromium embedded in the leather matrix acts as an effective chemical activator, enhancing the porous structure. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that both pH and methylene blue concentration positively influenced adsorption capacity, whereas temperature exhibited a negative effect. The maximum adsorption capacity reached 20.2 mg g−1. These results show the potential of wet blue leather waste-derived activated carbon as a low-cost and efficient adsorbent for dye removal from aqueous systems.