In this study

an alternative precursor for production of activated carbon was introduced using dragon fruit (

Hylocereus costaricensis

) peel (DFP). Moreover

KOH was used as a chemical activator in the thermal carbonization process to convert DFP into activated carbon (DFPAC). In order to accomplish this research

several approaches were employed to examine the elemental composition

surface properties

amorphous and crystalline nature

essential active group

and surface morphology of the DFPAC. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller test demonstrated a mesoporous structure of the DFPAC has a high surface area of 756.3 m

2

·g

-1

. The cationic dye Methylene Blue (MB) was used as a probe to assess the efficiency of DFPAC towards the removal of MB dye from aqueous solution. The effects of adsorption input factors (

e.g

. DFPAC dose (A:0.04-0.12 g·g

-1

)

pH (B:3-10)

and temperature (C:30-50℃)) were investigated and optimized using statistical analysis (

i.e

. Box-Behnken design (BBD)). The adsorption kinetic model can be best categorized as the pseudo-first order (PFO). Whereas

the adsorption isother

m model can be best described by Langmuir model

with maximum adsorption capacity of DFPAC for MB dye was 195.2 mg·g

-1

at 50℃. The adsorption mechanism of MB by DFPAC surface was attributed to the electrostatic interaction

p-p interaction

and H-bonding. Finally

the results support the ability of DFP to be a promising precursor for production of highly porous activated carbon suitable for removal of cationic dyes (

e.g

. MB).