Abstract
Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental and social issues of modern times. This work presents the development of carbonized carbon-silicon sorbents based on rice husk, combining high sorption capacity with pronounced antibacterial properties. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive investigation of the material's morphology, phase composition, and functional groups, followed by an assessment of its biocidal activity. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a transition from the disordered structure of the raw material to a porous amorphous surface after carbonization at 850 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the presence of amorphous carbon with an average crystallite size of 0.5 nm, while FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of Si-C bonds, associated with enhanced antibacterial activity. Biological tests against Bacillus paramycoides and Pseudomonas koreensis demonstrated growth inhibition zones of up to 38 mm and 44 mm, respectively, with an antagonistic activity index reaching 77.4. The most pronounced effect was observed against Pseudomonas koreensis, confirming the selective nature of the sorbent's antimicrobial action. The results indicate the potential of the developed sorbents as functional filtering materials for life-support systems, including in confined spaces where comprehensive protection against aerosol and biological threats is required.