Sunflower seed oil residue, a by-product of sunflower seed oil refining, was utilized as a feedstock for preparation of activated carbon (SSHAC) via microwave induced K2CO3 chemical activation. SSHAC was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption and elemental analysis. Surface acidity/basicity was examined with acid–base titration, while the adsorptive properties of SSHAC were quantified using methylene blue (MB) and acid blue 15 (AB).