Chitosan‐Carbon Aerogel for Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue Dye: Synthesis, Characterization, Adsorption Mechanism and Antimicrobial Therapies

Abstract Chitosan‐carbon aerogel was synthesized via a facile and eco‐friendly method and characterized for its structural and morphological properties. The composite exhibits remarkable adsorption kinetics and a high potential for removing Methylene Blue (MB) dye, attributed to its enhanced surface area, porous structure, and active functional groups. The adsorption capacity of chitosan‐carbon aerogel increased from 38 to 86.8 mg/g as the pH was raised from 2 to 7. The maximum MB adsorption capacity increased from 22 to 632 mg/g as the initial MB concentration increased from 25 to 2000 mg/L. The saturation adsorption capacity of the chitosan‐carbon aerogel was 668 mg/g. After five reuse cycles, the removal efficiency dropped from 89 % to 73.1 %. Antibacterial tests showed that the width of the inhibition zone for S. enterica was 16.2 ± 0.38 mm, indicating similar antibacterial activity for both chitosan and chitosan‐carbon aerogels. These findings underscore the potential of chitosan‐carbon aerogel as a sustainable and cost‐effective solution for dye removal in wastewater treatment.