Activated carbon co-modified by chitosan and SDS for targeted removal of aflatoxins from fragrant peanut oil

The pore size structure and surface structure of activated carbon (AC) may be ameliorated using the hydrophobic groups and negative surface charge of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), along with the abundant hydroxyl and amine groups of chitosan (CS). In this study, a composite adsorbent (CS/SDS/AC) created through co-modification of AC with CS and SDS was employed to remove aflatoxins from fragrant peanut oil. CS/SDS/AC exhibited a superior adsorption capacity (89.9 %) for adsorbing aflatoxins. More significantly, CS/SDS/AC improved the retention of sterols (64-99.3 %), tocopherols (61.4-82.7 %), and volatile flavor compounds (68.4-82.3 %) in the treated oil. CS/SDS/AC composite adsorbent emerged as a promising candidate characterized by high detoxification efficiency and low preparation costs but also helped retain nutrients and flavors in the fragrant oil. This development could present a novel strategy for oil industry to address aflatoxins.