Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal

Arpini, Cezar A. de Aguiar; Oro, Carolina E. Demaman; Dallago, Rogério Marcos; Tres, Marcus V.

doi:10.3390/pr14020281

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Open AccessArticle

Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal

by

Cezar A. de Aguiar Arpini

^1,2

,

Carolina E. Demaman Oro

¹

,

Rogério Marcos Dallago

¹

and

Marcus V. Tres

^3,*

¹

Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões (URI), 1621 Sete de Setembro Av., Erechim 99709-910, RS, Brazil

²

Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil

³

Laboratory of Agroindustrial Processes Engineering (LAPE), Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Taufik Germano Rd., 3013, Cachoeira do Sul 96503-205, RS, Brazil

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Processes 2026, 14(2), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14020281

Submission received: 15 December 2025 / Revised: 7 January 2026 / Accepted: 11 January 2026 / Published: 13 January 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes in 2025)

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Abstract

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.

Keywords: dye removal; sustainable adsorbents; pyrolysis; waste valorization

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MDPI and ACS Style

Arpini, C.A.d.A.; Oro, C.E.D.; Dallago, R.M.; Tres, M.V. Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal. Processes 2026, 14, 281. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14020281

AMA Style

Arpini CAdA, Oro CED, Dallago RM, Tres MV. Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal. Processes. 2026; 14(2):281. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14020281

Chicago/Turabian Style

Arpini, Cezar A. de Aguiar, Carolina E. Demaman Oro, Rogério Marcos Dallago, and Marcus V. Tres. 2026. "Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal" Processes 14, no. 2: 281. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14020281

APA Style

Arpini, C. A. d. A., Oro, C. E. D., Dallago, R. M., & Tres, M. V. (2026). Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal. Processes, 14(2), 281. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14020281

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Activated Carbon from Wet Blue Leather Waste for Dye Removal

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