Enhanced decolorization of reactive black 5 dye by active carbon sorbent-immobilized-cationic surfactant (AC-CS)

Aminated Rapeseed Husks (Brassica napus) as an Effective Sorbent for Removing Anionic Dyes from Aqueous Solutions

The study investigated the effect of modifying rapeseed husks with ammonia and epichlorohydrin on their sorption capacity against anionic reactive dyes: Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and Reactive Yellow 84 (RY84). Its scope included sorbents characterization (FTIR, pHPZC), determination of pH influence on the sorption effectiveness of dyes, the adsorption kinetics of dyes, as well as the maximum sorption capacity. The study proved that the reaction of rapeseed husk biomass with ammonia can lead to its amination, namely to the introduction of amine functional groups into the material's structure. The sorption effectiveness of RB5 and RY84 on the tested sorbents was the highest in the pH range of 2-3. The dye sorption kinetics was well described by the pseudo-second-order model. The sorption equilibrium time ranged from 90 to 180 min, and depended on the initial concentration of dyes and the number of amino groups on the sorbent's surface. The most efficient of the sorbents tested were rapeseed husks pre-activated with epichlorohydrin and then aminated with ammonia. Their sorption capacity determined for RB5 and RY84 was 135.83 mg/g and 114.23 mg/g, respectively, which was 794% and 737% higher than that of the non-modified husks.

The Effect of Modifying Canadian Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) Biomass with Ammonia and Epichlorohydrin on the Sorption Efficiency of Anionic Dyes from Water Solutions

This study examined the effect of modifying Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) biomass on its sorption capacity of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and Reactive Yellow 84 anionic dyes. The scope of the research included the characteristics of sorbents (FTIR, elementary analysis, pH_PZC), the effect of pH on dye sorption efficiency, sorption kinetics, and the maximum sorption capacity (describing the data with Langmuir 1 and 2 and Freundlich models). FTIR analyses showed the appearance of amine functional groups in the materials modified with ammonia water, which is indicative of the sorbent amination process. The amination efficiency was higher in the case of materials pre-activated with epichlorohydrin, which was confirmed by elemental analysis and pH_PZC values. The sorption efficiency of RB5 and RY84 on the tested sorbents was the highest in the pH range of 2-3. The sorption capacity of the goldenrod biomass pre-activated with epichlorohydrin and then aminated with ammonia water was 71.30 mg/g and 59.29 mg/g in the case of RB5 and RY84, respectively, and was higher by 2970% and 2510%, respectively, compared to the unmodified biomass. Amination of biomass pre-activated with epichlorohydrin can increase its sorption capacity, even by several dozen times.

Synthesis of mesoporous Fe/Al/La trimetallic oxide for photodegradation of various water-soluble dyes: Kinetic, mechanistic, and pH studies

Phase pure, trigonal, mesoporous Fe/Al/La trimetallic nano-oxide (abbreviated as FAL) was synthesized using energy efficient chemical route with bandgap 1.97 eV and S_BET = 50.02 m²/g and an average pore size of 8.95 nm for photodegradation of azo (di and tri) and thiazine class of dyes successfully. The valence band and conduction band potentials were calculated using the Mott-Schottky plot. The highest photodegradation efficiency was 93.85 ± 2% for reactive black 5 (RB5) at pH 7 under solar irradiation. The phase formation of FAL was confirmed by PXRD, TEM, and HRTEM analyses. The other characterizations include FESEM, Raman, EPR, UV, HPLC, LC-MS, etc. The presence of the metal centers and their corresponding oxidation states were confirmed by the SAEDS, elemental mapping, and XPS analyses respectively. FAL was also able to photodegrade direct blue 71 (DB71) and methylene blue (MB) under the same condition at different pH efficiently (pH 2-11). The photodegradation obeyed the pseudo-1st-order kinetics and was reusable up to 5 successive cycles. This study may be an efficient tool to meet UNs' SDG:6.

The Use of Chitin from the Molts of Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) for the Removal of Anionic and Cationic Dyes from Aqueous Solutions

The possibility of using chitin from the molts of an insect-ealworm (Tenebrio molitor) to remove anionic (RB5, RY84) and cationic dyes (BV10, BR46) from aqueous solutions was investigated. The scope of the research included, among others: Characteristics of chitin from mealworms (FTIR, SEM, pH_PZC), the effect of pH on sorption efficiency, sorption kinetics (pseudo-first, pseudo-second order, intramolecular diffusion models) and the determination of the maximum sorption capacity (Langmuir and Freundlich models). The sorption efficiency of anionic dyes on chitin from mealworm was the highest at pH 2-3, and for cationic dyes at pH 6. The equilibrium time of sorption of anionic dyes was 240-300 min and for cationic dyes it was 180-240 min. The experimental data on dye sorption kinetics was best described by the pseudo-second order model. The maximum sorption capacity of chitin from the mealworm for the anionic dyes RB5 and RY84 was 121.15 mg/g and 138.55 mg/g, respectively, and was higher than with some carbon-based materials (literature data). In the case of cationic dyes, the sorption capacity of the tested chitin was lower and reached 3.22 mg/g and 59.56 mg/g for BV10 and BR46, respectively.

Influence of Initial pH Value on the Adsorption of Reactive Black 5 Dye on Powdered Activated Carbon: Kinetics, Mechanisms, and Thermodynamics

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of initial pH value (pH₀) on the isothermal adsorption of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dye on commercial powdered activated carbon. Four initial pH values were chosen for this experiment: pH₀ = 2.00, 4.00, 8.00, and 10.00. In order to investigate the mechanism of adsorption kinetic, studies have been performed using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models as well as an intraparticle diffusion model. In addition, thermodynamic parameters of adsorption were determined for pH₀ = 4.00. Results of this research showed that the initial pH value significantly influences the adsorption of RB5 dye onto activated carbon. The highest adsorption capacities (q_e) and efficiencies of decolouration were observed for initial pH values of pH₀ = 2.00 (q_e = 246.0 mg g⁻¹) and 10.00 (q_e = 239.1 mg g⁻¹) due to strong electrostatic interactions and attractive π···π interactions, respectively. It was also shown that the adsorption of RB5 dye on activated carbon at all initial pH values is kinetically controlled, assuming a pseudo-second-order model, and that intraparticle diffusion is not the only process that influences on the adsorption rate.

Magnetic CuNiFe2O4 nanoparticles loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a novel catalyst for peroxymonosulfate activation and degradation of reactive black 5

Novel copper-nickel ferrite nanocatalyst loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs-CuNiFe₂O₄) was synthesized and applied to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in the degradation of the reactive black 5 (RB5). The structure of the catalyst was well characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The MWCNTs-CuNiFe₂O₄/PMS system showed a high performance in the degradation of RB5 with a kinetic rate of 1.5-2.5 times higher than homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. Maximum degradation efficiency (99.60%) was obtained at an initial pH of 7, catalyst dosage of 250 mg/L, PMS dosage of 4 mM, the temperature of 25 °C, and reaction time of 15 min. Anion experiments emphasized that the presence of nitrate, carbonate, and phosphate in the solution reduced the degradation efficiency by producing reactive species with low oxidation potential. The RB5 degradation rate evolved with temperature, and the activation energy was obtained to be 44.48 kJ/mol. The mechanism of PMS activation and production of free radicals was proposed based on tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), ethanol (EtOH), and potassium iodide (KI) scavengers. Trapping experiments showed that both sulfate (SO₄^•-) and hydroxyl (^•OH) radicals are involved in the catalytic degradation of RB5. The effective treatment of real wastewater and tap water by the MWCNTs-CuNiFe₂O₄/PMS system requires a long reaction time. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis indicated that RB5 can be degraded via methylation, decarboxylation, hydroxylation, and ring/chain cleavage pathways. The stable catalytic activity after three consecutive cycles suggested that MWCNTs-CuFe₂O₄ is a novel reusability catalyst in PMS activation.

Carbonaceous Adsorbents Derived from Agricultural Sources for the Removal of Pramipexole Pharmaceutical Model Compound from Synthetic Aqueous Solutions

The aim of the present study was to synthesize various samples of activated carbon (AC) from different agricultural sources as precursors, like orange peels, tea stalks, and kiwi peels, as well as sucrose. The synthesis of AC was achieved with chemical activation using H3PO4 and KOH. The produced AC samples were tested as adsorbents for the removal of a pharmaceutical model compound, pramipexole dihydrochloride (PRM), from synthetic aqueous synthetic solutions. The produced-from-sucrose AC presented the higher yield of synthesis (~58%). The physicochemical features of the materials were analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, and SEM imaging. More specifically, the AC sample derived from sucrose (SG-AC) had the highest specific surface area (1977 m2/g) with the total pores volume, mesopores volume, and external surface area being 1.382 cm3/g, 0.819 cm3/g, and 751 m2/g, respectively. The effect of the initial pH and PRM concentration were studied, while the equilibrium results (isotherms) were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models. The maximum adsorption capacities were found to be 213, 190, 155, and 115 mg/g for AC samples produced from sucrose, kiwi peels, orange peels, and tea stalks, respectively.

Decolorization of Reactive Black B from wastewater by electro-coagulation: optimization using multivariate RSM and ANN

The present study is aimed to model and optimize the electrocoagulation (EC) process with five important parameters for the decolorization of Reactive Black B (RBB) from simulated wastewater. A multivariate approach, response surface methodology (RSM) together with central composite design (CCD) is used to optimize process parameters such as pH (5–9), electrode gap (0.5–2.5 cm), current density (2.08–10.41 mA/cm2), process time (10–30 min), and initial dye concentration (100–500 mg/l). The predicted percentage decolorization of dye is obtained as 97.21% at optimized conditions: pH (6.8), gapping (1.3 cm), current density (8.32 mA/cm2), time (23 min), and initial dye concentration (200 mg/L), which is very close to experimental percent decolorization (98.41%). The statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) is performed to evaluate the quadratic model (RSM), and shows good fit of experimental data with coefficient of determination R2 >0.93. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is also used to predict the percentage decolorization and gives overall 94.96% which shows performance accuracy between the predicted and actual value of decolorization. The additional considerations of operating cost and current efficiency are also taken care to show the efficacy of EC process with mathematical tool. The sludge characteristics are determined by FE-SEM/EDX.

Effective Adsorption of Reactive Black 5 onto Hybrid Hexadecylamine Impregnated Chitosan-Powdered Activated Carbon Beads

In this study, hexadecylamine (HDA) impregnated chitosan-powder activated carbon (Ct-PAC) composite beads were successfully prepared and applied to adsorption of the anionic dye reactive black 5 (RB5) in aqueous solution. The Ct-PAC-HDA beads synthesized with 0.2 g powdered activated carbon (PAC) and 0.04 g HDA showed the highest dye removal efficiency. The prepared beads were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Various adsorption parameters, i.e., adsorbent dosage, pH, and contact time, which affect the adsorption performance, were studied in a series of batch experiments. The obtained adsorption data were found to be better represented by Freundlich (R2 = 0.994) and pseudo-second-order (R2 = 0.994) models. Moreover, it was ascertained that the adsorption of RB5 onto Ct-PAC-HDA beads is pH-dependent, and the maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity (666.97 mg/g) was observed at pH 4. It was also proved that Ct-PAC-HDA beads were regenerable for repeated use in the adsorption process.

Congo red filtration by polyacrylonitrile-based copolymer membranes

In this study, Congo red removal from wastewater by a filtration method was studied via membranes obtained from polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate) copolymers having various monomer ratios and polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate)/polyaniline blends with various polyaniline contents. It was found that the dye rejection value increased with acrylonitrile content in polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate) membranes. Also, blending copolymers with polyaniline enhanced the dye rejection rate. The performance of membranes showed incremental increase with increase in the polyaniline content. Both pH and concentration effects on the dye rejection rate of membranes were evaluated. The performance of polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate) membranes did not change significantly, whereas polyaniline-containing membranes had higher dye rejection rates at acidic pH levels. PAN(92)-co-P2EHA(8)-PANI(15%) demonstrated the highest dye rejection value of 99.7% at pH 3 when the feed concentration was 50 ppm. It also showed good resistance to increase in feed concentration. It had dye rejection values of 97.2% and 88.5% for 100 and 200 ppm feed concentrations, respectively.

Fabrication of NiFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon as novel nanoadsorbent for Direct Red 31 and Direct Blue 78 adsorption

In this research, magnetic nickel ferrite NiFe₂O₄/hazelnut-shell-based activated carbon (NiFe₂O₄/AC) was used to eliminate anionic dyes (Direct Red 31(DR31) and Direct Blue 78 (DB78)) from aqueous solution. The morphological, structural, particle size and surface charge properties of as-prepared nanoadsorbent were characterized. TEM (Transmission electron microscopy) images revealed that the size of NiFe₂O₄ particles in the structure of AC was in the range of 8-12 nm, which is compatible with the results obtained by the analysis of DLS (Dynamic light scattering). The results of the BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) analysis indicated that the surface area, the pore volume and average pore diameters of the NiFe₂O₄ were 288 m²/g, 0.3338 cm³/g and 5.05nm, respectively. The as-prepared nanocomposite showed excellent adsorption capacity for DR31 and DB78 dyes with the highest adsorption capacity obtained at pH=2.0 and rapid dye adsorption equilibrium attained after 20 and 25 min for DR31 and DB78, respectively. The equilibrium study showed the maximum adsorption capacity (q_max) of 299.67 mg/g and 209.13 mg/g for DR31 and DB78, respectively. In addition, thermodynamic study revealed the endothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption process. The adsorption of DR31 and DB78 onto the NiFe₂O₄/AC is a physisorption process, during which electrostatic adsorption was the main driving force.

Decolorization of Reactive Black 5 Dye by Heterogeneous Photocatalysis with TiO2/UV

El Negro Remazol B (NRB) es un colorante azoico, usado en la industria textil por su estabilidad química. Este tinte no se fija al 100%, ocasionando contaminación en el agua. En este trabajo se evaluó la decoloración de soluciones acuosas con NRB mediante fotocatálisis heterogénea con TiO2/UV. La reacción se realizó en un fotorreactor de aluminio equipado con cinco lámparas. El efecto de la concentración de TiO2 (0,1; 0,175 y 0,25 g L-1), y NRB (50, 75 y 100 mg L-1) y el pH (3, 7 y 11) fue evaluado durante 14 h, tomando un diseño estadístico experimental Box-Behnken. La decoloración completa del NRB se obtuvo después de 14 h (0,175 g L-1 de TiO2, 50 mg L-1 de NRB, y pH 3). Se alcanzó un 98,44% de decoloración después de 10 h (0,25 g L-1 de TiO2, 50 mg L-1 de NRB, y pH 7). Se encontró que el mejor porcentaje de decoloración del NRB (99,51%) se obtuvo a las 10 h de exposición a luz UV, utilizando 0,5 g L-1 de TiO2, 50 mg L-1 del colorante y un pH de 3. Los ensayos de citotoxicidad sobre la línea celular HepG2 indicaron que la degradación fotocatalítica del NRB no generó subproductos citotóxicos.

The efficacy of bacterial species to decolourise reactive azo, anthroquinone and triphenylmethane dyes from wastewater: a review

The industrial dye-contaminated wastewater has been considered as the most complex and hazardous in terms of nature and composition of toxicants that can cause severe biotic risk. Reactive azo, anthroquinone and triphenylmethane dyes are mostly used in dyeing industries; thus, the unfixed hydrolysed molecules of these dyes are commonly found in wastewater. In this regard, bacterial species have been proved to be highly effective to treat wastewater containing reactive dyes and heavy metals. The bio-decolourisation of dye occurs either by adsorption or through degradation in bacterial metabolic pathways under optimised environmental conditions. The bacterial dye decolourisation rates vary with the type of bacteria, reactivity of dye and operational parameters such as temperature, pH, co-substrate, electron donor and dissolved oxygen concentration. The present paper reviews the efficiency of bacterial species (individual and consortia) to decolourise wastewater containing reactive azo, anthroquinone and triphenylmethane dyes either individually or mixed or with metal ions. It has been observed that bacteria Pseudomonas spp. are comparatively more effective to treat reactive dyes and metal-contaminated wastewater. In recent studies, either immobilised cell or isolated enzymes are being used to decolourise dye at a large scale of operations. However, it is required to investigate more potent bacterial species or consortia that could be used to treat wastewater containing mixed reactive dyes and heavy metals like chromium ions.

Waterborne Polyurethane Coatings with Covalently Linked Black Dye Sudan Black B

Colored waterborne polyurethanes have been widely used in paintings, leathers, textiles, and coatings. Here, a series of black waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) with different ratios of black dye, Sudan Black B (SDB), were prepared by step-growth polymerization. WPU emulsions as obtained exhibit low particle sizes and remarkable storage stability at the same time. At different dye loadings, essential structural, statistical and thermal properties are characterized. FTIR (fourier transform infrared) spectra indicate that SDB is covalently linked into waterborne polyurethane chains. All of the WPUs with covalently linked SDB show better color fastness and resistance of thermal migration than those with SDB mixed physically. Besides, WPUs incorporated SDB covalently with different polymeric diols, polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMG), polypropylene glycol (PPG), poly-1, 4-butylene adipate glycol (PBA) and polycaprolactone glycol (PCL), were prepared to obtain different properties to cater to a variety of practical demands. By a spraying method, the black WPUs can be directly used as metal coatings without complex dyeing process by simply mixing coating additive and other waterborne resins, which exhibit excellent coating performance.

Sonocatalytic rapid degradation of Congo red dye from aqueous solution using magnetic Fe0/polyaniline nanofibers

Nano-sized magnetic Fe⁰/polyaniline (Fe⁰/PANI) nanofibers were used as an effective material for sonocatalytic degradation of organic anionic Congo red (CR) dye. Fe⁰/PANI_, was synthesized via reductive deposition of nano-Fe⁰ onto the PANI nanofibers at room temperature. Prepared catalyst was characterized using HR-TEM, FE-SEM, XRD, FTIR instruments. The efficacy of catalyst in removing CR was assessed colorimetrically using UV-visible spectroscopy under different experimental conditions such as % of Fe⁰ loading into the composite material, solution pH, initial concentration of dye, catalyst dosage, temperature and ultrasonic power. The optimum conditions for sonocatalytic degradation of CR were obtained at catalyst concentrations=500mg.L^-1, concentration of CR=200ppm, solution pH=neutral (7.0), temperature=30°C, % of Fe⁰ loading=30% and 500W ultrasonic power. The experimental results showed that ultrasonic process could remove 98% of Congo red within 30min with higher Q_max value (Q_max=446.4 at 25°C). The rate of degradation of CR dye was much faster in this ultrasonic technique rather than conventional adsorption process. The degradation efficiency declined with the addition of common inorganic salts (NaCl, Na₂CO₃, Na₂SO₄ and Na₃PO₄). The rate of degradation suppressed more with increasing salt concentration. Kinetic and isotherm studies indicated that the degradation of CR provides pseudo-second order rate kinetic and Langmuir isotherm model compared to all other models tested. The excellent high degradation capacity of Fe⁰/PANI under ultrasonic irradiation can be explained on the basis of the formation of active hydroxyl radicals (OH) and subsequently a series of free radical reactions.

Surfactant modification of banana trunk as low-cost adsorbents and their high benzene adsorptive removal performance from aqueous solution

The banana trunk was modified using different surfactants (cationic, anionic and non-ionic surfactants), such as ​CTAB, SDS, Pluronic 123, and Triton X-100 to develop a novel low-cost adsorbent for benzene removal from aqueous solution.

Malachite Green Adsorption Behavior of Polyurethane/Chitosan Composite Foam

A composite foam of polyurethane/chitosan with chitosan content of 20 wt% was successfully prepared as an adsorbent for the removal of malachite green from aqueous solution, the structures and properties were characterized by scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed open cell content of polyurethane/chitosan was more than 95% and open cell structure was intuitive shown by scanning electron microscope images. It was revealed that polyurethane/chitosan exhibiting high efficiency on malachite green adsorption. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study showed that possible pathway for malachite green adsorption may include hydrogen bond and acetyl groups. The adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics of polyurethane/chitosan for malachite green were studied in detail, and adsorption process followed Langmuir isotherms model rather than pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The activation energy value indicated that the adsorption was mainly physical process.

Optimization of liquid-liquid extraction of biosurfactants from corn steep liquor

In this work, the optimization of the operational conditions for the chloroform-based extraction of surface-active compounds from corn steep liquor (CSL) was carried out and the nutritional properties of the remnant aqueous phase (CSL-less biosurfactant) was evaluated as microbial fermentation medium. The optimal conditions to obtain biosurfactants from CSL were as follows: chloroform/CSL ratio 2 (v/v), 56 °C at extraction times >30 min. At the optima conditions, 100 % of biosurfactant extract can be obtained from CSL, obtaining 12.0 ± 0.5 g of biosurfactant extract/Kg of CSL. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the biosurfactant extract was 399.4 mg L(-1). This value is similar to the CMC of cetrimonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant used in the formulation of nanoparticles. The extraction of biosurfactant can be also carried out at room temperature although in this case, the extraction yield decreased about 15 %. The extraction of surface-active compounds from agroindustrial streams can suppose important advances for the bio-based surfactants industry. Biosurfactants obtained in this work are not only more eco-friendly than chemical detergents but also can be cost competitive with its chemical counterparts. Furthermore, after the extraction of surface-active compounds, CSL-less biosurfactant was found to be suitable as nutritional supplement for lactic acid bacteria, maintaining its nutritional properties in comparison with regular CSL.

Adsorption behavior of direct red 80 and congo red onto activated carbon/surfactant: process optimization, kinetics and equilibrium

Adsorptions of congo red and direct red 80 onto activated carbon/surfactant from aqueous solution were optimized. The Box-Behnken design (BBD) has been employed to analyze the effects of concentration of surfactant, temperature, pH, and initial concentration of the dye in the adsorption capacity. Their corresponding experimental data could be evaluated excellently by second order polynomial regression models and the two models were also examined based on the analysis of variance and t test statistics, respectively. The optimum conditions were obtained as follows: Cs=34.10 μM, T=50°C, pH=3.5, and CCR=160 mg/L for the congo red system, and Cs=34.10 μM, T=50°C, pH=6.1, and CDR80=110 mg/L for the direct red 80 system. And in these conditions, the measured experimental maximum adsorption capacities for the congo red and direct red 80 removals were 769.48 mg/g and 519.90 mg/g, which were consistent with their corresponding predicted values, with small relative errors of -2.81% and -0.67%, respectively. The adsorption equilibrium and kinetics for the two dye adsorptions onto AC/DDAC were also investigated. The experimental data were fitted by four isotherm models, and Langmuir model presented the best fit. The kinetic studies indicated that the kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order model.

Selective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions by an activated carbon-based multicarboxyl adsorbent

An activated carbon-based multicarboxyl adsorbent has been synthesized for selective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions.

Enhanced catalytic ability of chitosan–Cu–Fe bimetal complex for the removal of dyes in aqueous solution

In this study, despite the high adsorption ability, efficient catalytic activity of a chitosan–metal complex has been developed through the chelation of chitosan polymer with bimetals Cu(ii) and Fe(iii).