Adsorption of Pb(II) on mesoporous activated carbons fabricated from water hyacinth using H3PO4 activation: Adsorption capacity, kinetic and isotherm studies

- Activated carbon was prepared from water hyacinth using H3PO4 activation.
- Materials have higher mesoporosity (93.9%) and more oxygen-containing functional groups.
- Materials remove Pb(II) rapidly with high monolayer adsorption capacity (118.8 mg/g).
- The adsorption process fitted to Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetic.
- Materials could be used as an economical, efficient adsorbent to remove Pb(II) ions.