Green-engineered activated carbons from sustainable waste for eco-friendly desulfurization of crude oil: Isotherm and kinetic evaluation

High sulphur and acidity in crude oil reduce efficiency, cause economic losses, and pose environmental risks. This study developed sustainable powdered activated carbons (PAC) from mixed kitchen waste-derived biochar via physical activation for crude oil desulphurization and deacidification. The goal was to engineer mesoporous PAC by controlling activation temperatures. PAC1, produced at 750 °C, exhibited the most favorable structure: BET surface area of 59.26 m²/g, pore volume of 0.015 cc/g, average pore diameter of 8.8 nm, and 91 % mesoporosity, with EDX confirming 84 % carbon content. At 32 g/L dosage, PAC1 achieved 79.9 % sulphur removal from model oil, and from light crude oil delivered 51.47 % desulphurization and 77.9 % deacidification—superior to both biochar and PAC2 (950 °C). PAC1 also showed reusability, maintaining 41 % desulphurization efficiency after four cycles. These findings highlight that mesoporous activated carbon derived from abundant kitchen waste can provide an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable solution for industrial-scale crude oil desulphurization and deacidification.