Chemical surface characteristics and adsorptive efficiency of olive stone–based activated carbon in Cu(II) and Zn(II) removal: comparative evaluation with commercial carbons

Key Points

• Olive stone–based activated carbon shows high adsorptive efficiency in removing copper and zinc from solutions.
• The study highlights that olive stone carbon achieved over 90% removal for both metals in testing conditions.
• Comparative evaluation with commercial carbons reveals that olive stone carbon remains competitive in heavy metal adsorption.
• This work implies that utilizing agricultural waste could provide sustainable solutions for heavy metal removal.