The management of agricultural waste and untreated wastewater, particularly those containing pharmaceutical pollutants, is a significant challenge, especially in West Africa. A possible solution lies in the valorization of agricultural biomass for the production of activated carbon, which can be used to treat these pollutants. In this study, two lignocellulosic biomasses from the Ziguinchor region in Senegal were used: saba senegalensis and palm tree husks. The chemical activation of the biomasses was carried out using phosphoric acid (85%), varying several parameters: the raw material/acid ratio, carbonization temperature (500 °C to 800 °C), and the process duration (40 to 60 min). The results showed that the best activated carbons were obtained with an impregnation ratio of 1:2, a carbonization temperature of 800 °C, and a 60-minute carbonization time. Textural and chemical analyses of the activated carbons were conducted, along with adsorption tests on pollutants such as ibuprofen in aqueous solutions. The performance of the activated carbons developed was compared to that of a commercial activated carbon (L27). The activated carbons produced demonstrated good adsorption capacities, making them a promising solution for treating water contaminated with pharmaceutical compounds.
Diouf et al. (2026) studied this question.