Dataset associated with "Synergistic adsorption–photocatalytic degradation of water pollutants using sustainable activated Carbon/ZIF-67 hybrid nanocomposites"

In this work, an efficient hybrid composite was prepared by integrating Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67 (ZIF-67) nanoparticles onto activated carbon (AC) derived from petiole palm, an abundant renewable agriculturalwaste, through a simple and sustainable impregnation method. The resulting AC-ZIF-67 architecture promotesclose contact between the ZIF-67 phase and the carbonaceous support, which may partially shield the frameworkunder acidic conditions. A composition containing 60 wt.% ZIF-67 and 40 wt.% AC was selected for this study.The composite was evaluated for the removal of the anionic dye Acid Green 25 (AG25) and persistent pharmaceuticalpollutants, including ciprofloxacin (CIP), diclofenac (DCF), and naproxen (NPX), under visible lightirradiation.The AC-ZIF-67 hybrid showed remarkable adsorptive performance, reaching a maximum AG25 adsorptioncapacity of 235 mg⋅g⁻¹ at pH 2, almost twice that of pristine AC. This acidic stress condition was used to assessthe stabilizing role of AC, which may physically hinder hydronium ion attack on the ZIF-67 framework.Adsorption data followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics, suggesting monolayeradsorption dominated by strong surface interactions. Beyond adsorption, the hybrid achieved 90% removal ofAG25 within 60 min. Mechanistic results support an “adsorb-and-shuttle” pathway, where AC concentratespollutants near ZIF-67 photoactive sites. Under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) at pH 6, the composite alsoachieved elimination efficiencies of 95% for ciprofloxacin, 80% for diclofenac, and 25% for naproxen, demonstratingits effectiveness toward different classes of pharmaceutical contaminants. Furthermore, the AC-ZIF-67composite maintained high photocatalytic activity after successive reuse cycles, supporting its operationalreusability and practical potential as a sustainable biomass-derived material for wastewater treatment. Theintegration of ZIF-67 with low-cost biomass-derived activated carbon not only creates a synergistic adsorption–photocatalytic system but also reduces the overall reliance on the more expensive MOF component,improving the economic feasibility and scalability of the composite for large-scale wastewater treatmentapplications.