Unveiling the potential of a novel MXene-activated carbon composite for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from wastewater

The increasing contamination of water bodies with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has led to the urgent need for effective remediation technologies. The synthesis of advanced composites for wastewater treatment is a new field of research. This study investigated the synthesis and application of a novel composite material for the adsorptive removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons named naphthalene (NAP), fluorene (FLU) and phenanthrene (PHE) from wastewater. The material was synthesized by combining oil palm leaves activated carbon (OPLAC) with Ti3C2Tx MXene and named M-OPLAC-2. The M-OPLAC-2 had a surface area of 259.351 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.201 cm3/g. The findings indicated that the removal efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was enhanced with increasing contact time during the initial phase of the process, and the adsorption rate was rapid before achieving equilibrium. Maximum adsorption capacity was achieved at a pH of 3. The highest adsorption capabilities for NAP, FLU, and PHE were determined to be 39.55 mg/g, 40.40 mg/g, and 40.03 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption data indicated that the Freundlich model accurately represented the adsorption isotherm with multilayer coverage. The M-OPLAC-2 was stable up to 3 cycles of regeneration. This research highlighted the potential of MXene-activated carbon composite as an efficient adsorbent for wastewater treatment, providing a promising solution for environmental remediation.